The Immunity Challenge
by khay
Summary: *ABANDONED* AU. No powers. How hard is it to win the heart of a Rogue? Remy thinks it'll be easy, especially for a popular actor like himself. Of course, not every girl has a lawyer mom, exbiker of a dad, meddling friends, and an overprotective brother.
1. Heartbreaker

Disclaimer: The only compensation I am making from this fic is the warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart whenever I open my email and see that someone took the time off to review it. Obviously, none of the characters are mine. It's Marvel's. And Warner Brothers'. I think.

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A/N: I thought long and hard as to where I'm going to post this—comics section or evo section. Comic section because the characters are older than they were in XME. Evo because I'm more familiar with the cartoons than the comics. Comic because I think that the readers there are older compared to the readers in Evo and I plan to write some hard and heavy stuff in. Evo because I can't write the accents and I think that readers in Evo are less conservative/more tolerant about that kind of thing. Comics because I wanted to "expand" the fandom in which I write. Evo because it's where I'm more familiar. In the end, I simply flipped a coin. Guess what, Evo won. I apologize in advance for all my shortcomings. This is my first attempt at a fic directed at a more mature audience. Bear with me, please.

Yes, this is the story I posted in my blog at **triple w dot xanga dot com slash khayee**.****

Totally AU. No powers. Main characters in their early twenties.

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The Immunity Challenge: Chapter 1: Heartbreaker 

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Scott Summers shoved his trademark red glasses up his nose. He glanced at his hot date, Jean Grey and seethed. 

Scott had pursued the girl for two weeks and now that she finally agreed to go out on a date with him, she's flirting with someone else. All this _before_ their date officially began.

For one thing, they haven't arrived at their destination yet. They were still in the middle of the road, stuck in traffic.

For the first time in his life, Scott cursed his shiny new red convertible.

"Remy'll be at _Wolverine's_ tomorrow night, _chere_," a smooth Cajun voice broke into Scott's reverie. 

Scott's grip on the steering wheel tightened. He mentally commanded the stoplight to turn green. For a moment, he contemplated to put up the roof to shield his date from the outside world. Particularly from _him_.

Yes. They were at the intersection. Scott and Jean were on their way to this ridiculously expensive restaurant that Jean liked, or so he was told. He had stopped at the intersection when the light turned red. Two seconds later, a motorcycle had stopped beside them. On it was the hell spawn of Bayville himself, the cocky Cajun, Remy LeBeau.

And Scott had to hand it to LeBeau. The rumors were true. That parasite wastes no opportunity. The nerve of that guy to flirt with a girl on a date, said date being right beside them.

Jean giggled. "Yeah. I know. Me and my friends will be there."

"Make sure to save a dance for Remy." Remy told her. 

Scott glared at the biker. He wasn't wearing a helmet, as usual. Scott can't help but wish that the Cajun would slip and fall and break his head. But it's the pavement that would probably crack. Remy's hardhead was a legend in their sleepy town too.

"Later, _homme_." Remy saluted Scott right before he pumped the handlebar and roared off.

The light had turned green. 

Something in Scott snapped. Flooring the accelerator, he tore off after Remy.

"SCOTT!" Jean screamed.

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She caught his attention the moment she walked into the bar. Not because she was extraordinarily beautiful, not because she was dressed-oh-so-provocatively, not because she was clamoring for his attention.

She caught his attention because she was out of place.

A smirk crossed his lips as he watched her, a smirk that caused most of the women in the dance floor to squeal louder and jostle for a position closer to the stage.

_Look at me._ He mentally projected to the woman who caught his attention. _Look at me._

But the woman barely even flickered a glance at the dance floor. Instead, she made a beeline to the bar and sat down on the farthest corner. The bartender gave her a smile.

Most women in there had their hair down and wore dark, glittery, revealing outfits, anything really to get attention, particularly the attention of the man who was currently in his element in the middle of the dance floor.  On the other hand, she looked like she was on her way to the office. _Scratch that_, Remy thought. She looked like she was on her way to the _church,_ wearing a modest tan blouse over her knee length black skirt. On top of that, she had her hair up on her head, secured by what seemed to be pencils.

Remy smirked as the trailed his lips down his dance partner's cheek and neck. "Thanks for the dance, _chere_."

The brunette dancing with him pouted prettily. "Aw, babe, just one more dance?" She pleaded. But her world was crushed when she saw the object of her affection was already across the dance floor, steadily making his way over to the general direction of the bar. She had no other recourse but to watch him walk away. But at least she was able to dance with Remy LeBEau. _The _ Remy LeBeau.

Remy LeBeau was the latest Hollywood commodity, having just released his latest movie, _Le Diablo Le Blanc_. It was a runaway hit, especially with the women. It had stayed at number one in the box office for two weeks. He also has his weekly television series about a thief with red on black eyes, _Gambit_. Like his movie, _Gambit_ had continued to stay at the top of the list consistently.

But perhaps what Remy LeBeau was famous for was for his bad boy bit. He loves to fight, and fights dirty. He made no secret of the fact that he drinks and smokes. He loves women, and even rumors cannot catch up with the list of women he dated.

He's the wildly dangerous man good little girls always fall for—and fall hard.

Some women bravely met him and smiled at him, only to be rebuffed by his continuing forward towards his quest. All were disappointed when he merely gave them a flirtatious smile and moved on..

"Thanks for seeing me tonight," 

Remy heard his new girl say with a sweet, southern twang. His grin widened. Just the kind of woman he needs to rid himself of his homesickness of the south. But he still had a way to go because of the amount of people, women especially, blocking his path, greeting him hello and slipping phone numbers in his jeans pocket.

"I don't see what the fuss is all about. I'm a grown man. I can take care of myself." 

Remy recognized Logan, one of the owners of the bar, grumble. The stocky man had seated himself beside Remy's girl, something that Logan did very seldom. Often, Logan was behind the scenes, barking orders and watching people for any signs of trouble.

"We just wanna make sure that all the _i_'s are dotted and the _t_'s are crossed." The girl replied.

"He's a friend. I trust the man with my life." came the stubborn reply. "And what's with the _we_ business?"  
  


"I know. _I_ trust your judgment and all, but we, I mean _I_, _I_ want to positively sure." Remy saw her smiling at Logan as she reached out and took the manila envelope the man was holding. "And I wouldn't show it to her, if that's what you really want I'll take care of this myself."

Remy frowned. If this girl was Logan's new squeeze, then he'd be in trouble. Not that it wouldn't stop him. It's just that he liked Logan. And he liked hanging out in Logan's bar. 

_But all's fair in love and war, henh_? Remy grinned to himself.

"Thanks." 

"I gotta go. I just came here for these." The girl motioned to the papers she held in her hands as she slid off her stool. 

"I'll see you to your car, darlin'." 

Logan and the girl made their way outside.

_Merde!_ The girl had slipped off just as Remy was about to reach for her hand. He looked longingly after her. "_Mon ami_," he turned to the bartender. "Who's that _fille_?" 

Lance, who was busy mixing gin and juice, paused and looked at the singer with a frown. Working at the bar for quite a while now, he knew these rocker types and the trail of broken hearts they leave behind. "She's not available." Came the curt reply. Lance turned away from Remy and served the drinks he was mixing.

Remy smirked. As if that comment didn't make him want her more.

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"You are a genius, _Madame_ Darkholme," Remy said dramatically as he clutched the hand of his lawyer and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

"Can it, LeBeau." Despite her harsh tone, Raven Darkholme couldn't help but smile at the antics of her client. "And maybe next time you could control that large ego of yours and keep yourself from drag racing and destroying public property."

"It was all _Monsieur_ Summers' fault." He replied without missing a beat as he folded his wiry frame onto the seat in front of Raven's desk. "You said so yourself, and was agreed to by the judge," he waved a thick folder around.

"Let's just be thankful that the prosecutor's got his hands full these days and were willing to settle." Raven snatched the paperwork from her client's hand. "And don't think for even one second that I did it for you."

"Remy pities Summers." He grinned. "Remind Remy not to get to your bad side."

Raven smiled evilly. Litigation was not her area of expertise, not really. She had known Remy since he was just an unknown teen with big dreams of Hollywood and she was the one who drafted his first contract between him and his manager, Hank McCoy. Raven Darkholme makes a living drafting and interpreting contracts. But a week or two ago, Hank McCoy had called her and asked for a favor. Remy's in trouble, it seemed, for racing Scott Summers in the public streets, violating almost all the traffic rules, and destroying much property in the process. She had declined the case initially, recommending her colleague, Magnus Lensherr, instead. But the moment she heard that the other party was Scott Summers, she did a 180 and accepted, which led him to speculate as to what Summers had done to piss of the cool, calm, and collected Raven Darkholme.

Two swift knocks interrupted the two. The door opened after Raven's soft 'Come In.'

"Hey." Green eyes zeroed onto Remy. "Good afternoon." A lazy smile was directed to him.

And suddenly, all was right in Remy's world again. It was _her_. Now he wouldn't be wasting any more time obsessing about who she is and how he would get to know her. He had planned to hang out all nights at _Wolverine's_ for the next month or so or until she shows up again. And now, he didn't have to. Instead, he could devote all his time and efforts into making her fall for him.

"Mags wanted to confirm your dinner date tonight," 

Raven consulted her calendar for a moment. She nodded. "_Freddie's_ at eightish."

"Right. See you then." With a cheerful smile and wave, the girl disappeared.

Remy stared at the door for a moment before looking expectantly at Raven. He grinned at her. "She works here?"

"Mister LeBeau, remember our conversation about not being in my bad side?" She asked him. "She's a one-way ticket towards that place."

Remy opened his mouth to protest.

"Don't even think about it." Raven beat him to the punch.

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_Wolverine's_ was jam-packed. Possibly because of the rumors that it's where _Gambit_ hangs out nightly.

And the rumors were true. Sure enough, Remy LeBeau was there, seated on a table surrounded by beautiful women. The table was located in the middle of the bar, in a spot where he could see whoever would be coming and entering the place. Unfortunately, he had no luck watching the comings and goings of people, him having no patience to sit still for too long. Of course, being distracted by the scantily clad women vying for his attention added to that just a bit. Like right now, he was being sandwiched by blue-eyed blond twins. His arms were wrapped possessively and familiarly around the twins.

"So what does a _homme_ got to do to get a decent beer in this place?" Remy called out as another harried waiter walked past him without handing him his order.

"Just keep hollerin' the way you just did," a familiar voice with a Southern twang replied easily. "Sorry about the slow service. We're just swamped tonight. So can I get you anything?"

Remy's head swiveled up from where his eyes previously were, which were the ample cleavage of Lizzie, or was it Missy? 

And he saw himself looking at two twin emeralds that he had been hunting for for days. "_Chere_," he drawled lazily. "How 'bout your name? And your number would be nice too." The speaker was _his fille_. But this time, she doesn't look so much out of place anymore. Her brown hair was tied back in a pony tail, and her blouse and slacks were covered by the apron that the waiters and waitresses of _Wolverine's_ wore. The twins at his side too drunk to care, Remy gave her a flirtatious grin. At long last, his opportunity had come.

But instead of blushing and turning putty in his hands, an incredulous crossed the _fille_'s face as she looked from Remy to one twin, back to Remy, then to the other twin. "Sugah," She drawled. "Like I never heard that one before." She rolled her eyes and tapped her notepad impatiently. "So can I get your order or should I tend to other customers first? We're a little short-staffed tonight."

"Just give Remy a name." He persisted. Remy felt as if he was being challenged. First, he had one heck of a time tracking her down. And when finally, their paths crossed, she would not give him her name. The urge to conquer the mysterious woman before him almost overwhelmed Remy. Ah. The challenge of the hunt.

"Look, sugah, I don't know any Remy but if you don't order in the next five seconds, I'm going to turn around and leave and you could just wait for another waiter to come." She frowned. 

Remy was shocked. She doesn't know _any_ Remy? How about a certain Remy LeBeau whose movie was recently released and almost broke the current record of movie ticket sales by _Lord of the Rings_? Remy LeBeau whose face graced the covers of magazines and newspapers? Remy LeBeau who had been interviewed a hundred times in the past months? Or Remy LeBeau in on TV every Saturday nights at nine? What does she mean she doesn't know _any_ Remy?

"Sugar!" A man crudely called from across the bar. "Where's our tequila?"

"Hold your horses, Maximoff." The waitress in front of Remy called back out, oblivious to the fatal blow to his ego that she unwittingly dealt. "You just ordered ten seconds ago." She shook her head and turned back to Remy. "Sugah? Can I get the order now?"

Remy huffed and resisted the urge to throw a tantrum. "Tell the bartender to give _me_ the strongest drink you've got." He grumbled. "Whatever it is."

The waitress looked amused. "Alrighty." She scribbled something in her notepad and walked away.

Remy feigned disinterest as he watched her. He decided right then and there that she was going to fall into his hands one way or the other. Then, he was going to break her heart into a million pieces.

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~tbc 


	2. Story of a Girl

Disclaimer: The only compensation I am making from this fic is the warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart whenever I open my email and see that someone took the time off to review it. Obviously, none of the characters are mine. It's Marvel's. And Warner Brothers'. I think.

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Immunity Challenge: Chapter 2: This is the Story of A Girl 

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"I brought coffee!"

"Oh, thank God! I was just about to fall on my feet."

Raven Darkholme accepted the tall cup of coffee her daughter handed to her. "So how did things go with your visit to your father last night?"

"Mom, if you want to know stuff about him, you could pop over there and visit him."

Uncharacteristically, Raven didn't comment. She was somewhat amused and yet a bit worried that her twenty-one year old daughter still carries hope that one day she and her daughter's father would reunite. Or become friends. Or at the very least, be civil towards one another when they meet.

You see, Raven Darkholme hated to make mistakes. She was an obsessive-compulsive perfectionist. She strategizes and thinks a million times before acting on a problem.

But one night in her late teens, every common sense, everything she worked hard for, everything she stood for, disappeared because of one tiny mistake.

She slept with her most bitter enemy. 

Enemy might be too strong of a word. It was more like she had a one-night stand with a man she hated with a passion. But he didn't do anything that made him deserving of her ill-feelings. It was one of those things, like love at first sight, only this time it was revulsion. Maybe it was because he was everything she was not—impulsive, hot-blooded, passionate. He was a loner who drifted from one place to another. He goes wherever his monster of a bike takes him.

And she was positive that all her dislike and hatred towards the guy was reciprocated. 

Oh, that night, she had proven to herself that there was indeed a thin like between love and hate.

That night changed her life forever.

And she had not realized it that night, but her lapse in judgment brought her the very thing that kept her going through the years.

Raven looked at her daughter and couldn't help but smile at the pride that tugged on her heart.

Anna Marie Darkholme was her favorite mistake.

"Mom?" Anna frowned when she realized that she had zoned out.

Raven gave herself a mental shake. 

Anna smirked. "I'll just see if Mags wanted me to do anything else then I'll head over to dad's."

Anna, who was a freshman law student, was temping as Magnus Lensherr's secretary, who was on maternity leave, for the summer. Raven was delighted that she once again had the opportunity to be with her daughter again. Unfortunately, Anna was more interested in helping out her father in his business.

"I'm not sure I approve of you hanging out in that place, Anna." Raven said, her protective mother's instinct rising to the surface. She knew that compared to other young women her age, Anna had led a sheltered life, growing up in the quiet town of Caldecott, living a awkward life in Bayville, and preferring to study and read books rather than go out when she was in the University. She knew Anna had a hard time adjusting to college life, but she was able to cope. And now that she was a law student, Raven knew that her protectiveness was out of place. But in her heart, she knew she would always see Anna as her baby.

Anna smiled and pointed to herself. "Mom. Grown girl now. Moved out of home five years ago." 

"I know." Raven wrinkled her nose. "But if I know your father, his bar would be one of those seedy places where drunken fights occur nightly while barely-dressed women clap and watch."

"Mom, the barely-dressed women doesn't just clap and watch. They dance on stage too." At her mother's shocked look, Anna laughed. "If it was that kind of place then dad would never even let me get my foot inside. He's more insanely protective than you are. And if you're still won't believe me, why don't come and visit sometime?"

Raven shook her head firmly. The less she sees of Anna's father, the better.

"You should check it out, mom." Anna insisted. "The bar's wildly successful. It's jam-packed every night. In fact, last night, I even had to fill in as a waitress just to accommodate the orders."

Raven looked horrified. Her lawyer-in-the-making daughter was acting as a waitress?

"Of course, dad put an end to my short stint as a waitress when he found out." She grinned. "His expression when he saw me wearing an apron was even worse than the one on your face right now."

Raven closed her mouth when she realized that it had dropped open. She took a deep breath. She supposed that Anna's father had been taking good care of her. 

And she supposed the reason why she doesn't want to see him was partly due to guilt.

When she found out she was pregnant years ago, a few weeks after her high school graduation, she had fled to Mississippi where her friend, Irene Adler, lived. Irene was older, wiser, and helped put her back on her feet. She had hidden the fact that she was pregnant from everyone in Bayville, including Anna's father. 

There, in Caldecott, Mississippi, Raven rebuilt her life. She went to college in the morning and worked in the evenings, while taking care of Anna in between everything. There was even a time when she had to take Anna in her classes. But she persevered. She even took up law, her greatest dream as a child.

But as fate would have it, on Anna's first year of high school, an old high school friend, Magnus Lensherr, called her up with his plans of opening a law practice in Bayville and was sniffing around if anyone was interested in joining him. Raven, tired of being an associate in a large firm, had plans too of opening her own practice. And the chance to go back to her hometown was just too tempting to pass up.

And so she went back to Bayville. How was she to know that when she goes back, her ex-lover was going to be there?

She was shocked when one day, Anna arrived home riding at the back of the motorcycle. Apparently, her curious daughter had taken it upon herself to explore the city. Growing up in a small old town where everyone knew everybody else, it never occurred to her that she might get lost. So tired and hungry, she accepted a stranger's offer to help her get home. Of course, that was _after_ that same stranger beat up four or five guys who got _too_ fresh with her.

And imagine Raven's shock when the stranger turned out to be none other than her daughter's father. The free-spirit known to most as Logan. As luck would have it, he was once again passing through Bayville when he chanced upon a young girl being dragged against her will by young men into an old, abandoned building.

Logan's eyes had widened when he saw her and did the math.

After threats of lawsuits and DNA testing, Raven finally admitted that Anna was indeed his daughter.

And what he did after that surprised her.

He curbed his wandering soul and actually started to develop roots in Bayville. He sold his motorcycle and started a small business. 

Her daughter suddenly had a father, one she dreamed of since she was a little kid.

Slowly, under the influence of her assertive father, the painfully shy and quiet Anna begun to explore the world outside of her shell. And the once-drifting Logan had found his anchor.

Seeing that the two were good for each other, Raven felt guilty for depriving her daughter that, and felt guilty for depriving Logan the rights to his child.

Of course, though the end results were very positive, mother, father and daughter did not escape from the experience completely unscathed. Sometimes, Raven looks back and realized that had she not been a proud and selfish bitch, the wounds that afflicted them all would have been unnecessary. 

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"Yo! Anna! Over here!" Todd Tolensky manically vied for her attention by waving his arms and jumping up and down in excitement. 

Anna, who had just entered the front door of _Wolverine's,_ grinned and waved back.

Wanda, Todd's girlfriend, rolled her eyes and groaned, a bit embarrassed at her boyfriend's antics. 

"Hey." Depositing her bag on the table, Anna surveyed the crowd. "Still full, huh?"

Wanda nodded as she scooted over to make room for Anna on the table. "So how was your day?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "Your father is such a slave driver."

"I warned you." Wanda Maximoff was the illegitimate daughter of Raven's partner and Anna's boss, Magnus Lensherr. 

"Hey, sweet thing!" A possessive arm draped itself around Anna's shoulders and Anna knew even without turning that it was Wanda's twin, Pietro. Pietro gave her a bone-crushing squeeze he called a hug before letting go. 

"Knock it off, Maximoff," Anna groaned in pain. "So, who's your flavor of the month tonight?" She asked.

He gave her a winning grin. "Tonight, I'm all yours, baby." 

It was Wanda's turn to roll her eyes. "You mean Jean Grey still won't give you the time of day?"

"That hurts," Pietro mock-pouted. "She was almost in my hands when that overgrown Boy Scout, Summers, swept in." He looked at Anna. "No offense, babe."

"None taken." Anna replied automatically. She had carried a torch for Scott Summers all throughout her high school life, one that ended up in heartbreak when Scott unceremoniously dumped her for a blond cheerleader. 

"But last I heard, Jean dumped Summers." Todd scratched his head.

"Really?" Pietro looked up hopefully.

"Yeah. Apparently, Remy LeBeau asked her out for a date and it's goodbye, One Eye!" Todd replied as he waved to a passing waiter.

One Eye was a nickname Scott earned in high school when a turbulent and infuriated Anna Darkholme _accidentally _stabbed his left eye with a pencil. He had to wear and eye patch for half a year and had taken to wearing colored glasses to hide the scars of the accident. Of course, rumors have it that the reason why he didn't press charges was because the act was not unprovoked. Anna's dumping occurred immediately after. Scott refused to talk about it and Anna had been strongly advised by counsels not to.

"Mmm. Remy LeBeau." Wanda sighed. "Sure wish he'd notice me."

"Uh, Sweet Cheeks, Sugar Pie, I'm right here." Todd waved his hands in front of his girlfriend's face. 

"Sorry, Todd." She grinned sweetly. 

"Remy?" Anna frowned. "Why's that name so familiar?"

Pietro smirked.

"What rock had you been living under, An?" Wanda demanded.

"It's called law school, babe." Todd huffed.

"Aw, baby, don't tell me you're jealous," Wanda cooed.

Pietro's and Anna's eyes met and shared a smile while Wanda and Todd soon became lost in their own little world of sweet nothings.

"So you were saying?" Pietro prompted.

"I've heard of Remy before."

"Yeah. You should. He's all over the place—TV, movies, magazines, radios, newspaper, you name it." At Anna's blank look, Pietro placed a comforting arm around her. "He's an actor. Has a weekly action series about a thief. Real popular."

"No. You know I barely have time to watch TV and stuff. Don't even have time for the news." She shrugged. She suddenly snapped. "Oh, now I remember. There's this nut job of a customer last night. Kept asking me to give my name and number to Remy. How weird is that?"

Wanda suddenly stopped with her ministrations at a softening Todd. "What did he look like?" She demanded.

"You know, I'm not really sure," Anna shrugged. "Wasn't wearing my contacts last night, you know how the smoke gets in my eyes. But I am pretty sure that he's got his arm full with identical twins."

"Oh my gosh, Anna!" Wanda suddenly squealed. 

"What? What?"

"I think you have just been hit on by Remy LeBeau! _The_ Remy LeBeau!" 

Anna looked at Pietro for some kind of explanation for his sister's uncharacteristic behavior.

Pietro gave a shrug that can be interpreted as 'How the hell should I know?'

"Breath, darling, you're starting to hyperventilate." Todd looked at his girlfriend in worry.

Wanda took a deep breath and attempted to compose herself. "There's been a rumor going down that Remy LeBeau is hanging out here night after night after night."

"So that would explain the people with cameras stalking around the place." Anna said.

"Yup. Probably hopeful fans or paparazzi." Wanda nodded.

"And that would also explain why your dad's bar is a hit all of a sudden—oof!" Pietro groaned as Anna's elbow made its way forcefully to his stomach.

"My dad's bar had always been a hit." She said airily.

"Sure, princess, whatever you say." Pietro muttered.

"Anyway, he's probably the guy!" Wanda reiterated. "He talks about himself in the third person and he loves flirting with women." 

"I'm sure flirting is the least he does to women." Pietro muttered.

"Right." Anna nodded, but was unconvinced. Now, why would a popular actor hit on someone as geeky as she obviously was?

Anna had no aspirations to her looks. She knew looked plain and had no qualms about it.

For one thing, she never had the guts to bear her body. She was more comfortable wearing baggy shirts and jeans, and more recently, business attires such as what she was wearing today—a simple short-sleeved blouse, and a modest black skirt. Her green eyes were almost always obscured by her thick reading glasses. She had gone out and gotten contacts recently, but found they're more trouble than they're worth. She keeps loosing 'em transparent things. So she had to fall back on her trusty glasses. Her skin's pale, almost translucent. Whenever she goes out and tries to get a tan, she always comes out red. Not brown, not even beige, but red. And her hair's a tangled mess. Unless she spends a lifetime in front of her vanity ironing it, her chestnut hair would rebelliously curl all over the place. Her studies in law didn't help any. Since she didn't have time to go out and cut it, it had grown longer than ever. So she usually ties it back in a bun using whatever's handy, which most usually happens to be her pencils. Though back in her high school days, she had it permanently straightened and dyed two streaks of white on her bangs. It caused quite a riot at home. 

Thinking of high school brought a smile to her face. She was never popular in high school, nor she wanted to. She was content to excel in her acads and hang out with her friends, the persons she was currently  with. The six of them—Anna, Pietro, Wanda, Todd, with Lance (who was currently bartending) and Fred Dukes were inseparable back in those days. And she looked forwards to being back in Bayville from her University to be with her friends. Unfortunately, Fred wasn't there, he was still out in the middle of the ocean, where he had made a name for himself as a chef in some luxury cruise. She was just thankful that she had Wanda as a roommate back in her undergrad and now, Pietro's taking up law with her. 

And of course, she cannot think of high school without thinking of Scott Summers. But that was a chapter in her life that would be better off as closed.

"'Allo."

Anna noticed that the level of noise in her table had gone from very high to none at all. She frowned and looked up. And found herself to be looking at the most beautiful man she ever laid eyes on.

"We meet again, _chere_."

And that voice…

Wanda's eyes widened, and even Todd and Pietro looked surprised.

Pietro recovered first. "Tell me, princess, is this guy the nut job from last night you were talking about?" If Pietro was anything, he was territorial. He hated the idea of another alpha male invading his terrain. And this corner of the bar was definitely his terrain.

"Your boyfriend, _cher_?" Remy LeBeau looked amused as he looked at Pietro as if he was seizing him up as potential competition.

And Pietro couldn't help but feel that the taller man had come to the conclusion that had Anna's answer had been yes, there would've been no competition at all. Pietro didn't let himself be intimidated. Instead, he smirked. If this guy thinks that Anna was an easy lay, then he had another thing coming.

Anna shook her head. "Pietro? He's a friend." 

"The name's Remy LeBeau." He extended his hand. "Maybe this time you could give _me_ the pleasure of knowing your name?"

Anna looked at him for a moment before coming to a decision. Her strict southern upbringing forbade her to be disrespectful, especially to a fellow Southerner, and ignoring the man's outstretched hand would definitely be rude.

"Rogue." She said.

Out of the corner of her eye, Anna saw Wanda snicker at her use of her high school nickname.

Remy looked amused. If he found her name weird, he didn't comment. Instead, he took her hand and lightly brushed her knuckles with a kiss that made her gasp in surprise. "_Enchante, mademoiselle._"

"Why don't you join us?" Wanda asked eagerly. "By the way, the name's Wanda. And this is my boyfriend Todd," she introduced which made Todd happy. "And my brother, Pietro. We're Rogue's friends."

And to Todd's horror, Remy released Anna's hand and captured Wanda's in his. He kissed Wanda's hand in a way that made her give an uncharacteristic giggle. And much to Pietro's frustration, he squeezed into their booth, sitting on the chair that used to be reserved for Fred.

"So, Remy, how do you like Bayville so far?" Wanda asked when nobody said a thing. "Like it?"

"_Chere_, Remy comes from Bayville."

Wanda looked surprised. "Really?"

"_Oui_. Remy was born in Bayville. Moved to New Orleans though as a toddler. That's where Remy got the accent."

"Wow." Wanda nodded as she hangs on to his every word.

"I notice the accent, Roguey, you not from around here?" He asked Anna.

Before Anna could open her mouth, Jean Grey walked by. "Remy, you promised me a dance last night and never gave me one." She pouted as she took her arm and pulled.

"Be right back." He promised, but he was looking exclusively at Anna.

"Good riddance," Pietro muttered. 

"Wow." Wanda sighed with stars in her eyes. "Just wow."

Anna frowned. That was weird. But she didn't let herself brood on that as she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. "Sugar! Over here!" She called out.

*

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An hour later, an exhausted Remy made it back to the table occupied by Anna and her friends. But he noticed that his chair was occupied by another person.

"Oh, hi," Anna beamed at Remy then turned her attention back to the blond newcomer beside her. "See, sugar. I told you we were sharing our table with Remy LeBeau." She said triumphantly.

"Hey, _chere_." Remy smiled. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Anna smiled. "Remy LeBeau, I would like you to meet my boyfriend, Cody Robbins."

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**~tbc**

Hey ya'll! 

Should I feel guilty that I'm making Scott and Jean to be the antagonists in my story? =)

A teaser of the next chapter at my blog in **triple w dot xanga dot com slash khayee**. Don't forget to check it out and leave me a message.

Let me just give a general thanks to all those who read my story, especially those who were kind enough to review. I appreciate it, guys.

Now, for the answers to reviews! 

**spankychaff  **- Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'm really flattered. Hope this chap lived up to your expectations!

**mad-eye** – thanks =) I promise that come summer vacation (which would be in two week's time), I'd update as often as humanly possible!

**Leishy** – thanks for the affirmation. Now that I'm actually writing it, I'm actually glad that the coin chose Evo too because I'm more familiar with the characters and I can mend and bend them to my will. I hope you love the story as much as I do. =)

**The Rogue Cajun** – Thanks. I want to write more and update all my pending story, but real life (read as: schoolwork and final exams) gets in the way. But I'll try my best to squeeze it in.

**Rogue 14** – Thanks. I am trying to write more. Problem is, every time inspiration strikes, I'm either in the middle of schoolwork or I can't get to my computer (yes! I have one of those handwritings where even the writer herself cannot understand what has been written).

**KinkySaiyan** – I love the name. A DBZ fan, I take it? Anyway, I was afraid that the plot in my story isn't very original, but I was like, what the hell? I enjoy writing it and people seems to be enjoying it so why not roll with the punches, _hehn_?__

**Star-of-Chaos** – Yup. I was thinking long and hard as to if Raven was not a mutant/terrorist, what should she be? A lawyer, of course!

**reddragon **– I try my best to update once a week but that's not written on stone and even then, I have two other stories that is a WIP, so please don't tire of waiting because I promise to do my best to finish my XME stories.

**Rogue (**DeUntouchedRogue@aol.com**)** – hi! Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately, I cannot do it because I don't know how. I made a conscious decision when I first ventured into writing XME that I won't write with the accents. It's a matter of balancing. There's people I would piss off if I write with accents horribly (as in horribly wrong) on one side and people who would be disappointed if I don't write with accents on the other (hence, a saying that I can't please everyone). Of course, if someone with experience (say, five years?) and know-how (preferably in fanfics, but experience in RPG would do fine too) would offer to waddle through my work and adjust the dialogue accordingly, who am I to say no (_hint! Hint!)_?

**jupiterhime **– Thanks. I am crossing my fingers that my inspiration won't run dry with this one.

**Extacy** – I'll try to veer away from drama, but as of today, I honestly have no idea where my muses will take me. But even if there's drama, I hope to keep it to a minimum.

**Caliente** – hey! I'm glad you smashed through your writer's block. I had a ton of messages informing me that you updated many of your stories and actually posted a new one. I reviewed one, read two (which I promise to review as soon as finals is out of the way), and plan to read the rest later, preferably when I can actually sign in to ff.net. And coming from _the_ Caliente, your reviews and praises really flattered me. Thanks.

**JexyBaby** – HI!!!! Thanks for leaving me a message in my blog. Unfortunately, I'm not such a regular blogger (is that a word? MS Word doesn't think so). But notice that Remy's now an actor, not a singer in a band. The adjustment was because I had a story where Rogue was the singer in the band and I don't wanna overwrite the plot. So actor it is. If you were able to catch my original post, it still had some parts which I forgot to edit where Remy was referred to as the singer and a few references on the Remy's band. =) But that'll be our little secret. Anyway, sorry it took so long. By the time you read this, I have probably posted a teaser on the blog (hopefully). I'm thinking of including Kitty in on the fun. And Kurt's on his way!

**ishandahalf **– has anyone asked you about your name? Coz for the longest time, I have been uberly curious about it? Is that your real name? How did'ja end up with it? Can I know? Huh? Can I? Can I? Anyway, thanks for the compliment. Comparing it to after midnight is such an honor for me because that's one of my favorite stories. But I hope this won't be a rip off of that.

**Camille** – Thanks. Try checking for updates every other week. =) 

**bad-girl4** – I entitled the first chapter as Heartbreaker because of your review! Let's see if he could actually break her heart, but here's to hoping that he won't.

**Cheers Darlin** – Thanks. I hope you enjoy reading this chap as much as I enjoyed writing it!


	3. Sexy, Naughty, Bitchy

Disclaimer: The only compensation I am making from this fic is the warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart whenever I open my email and see that someone took the time off to review it. Obviously, none of the characters are mine. It's Marvel's. And Warner Brothers'. I think.

A/N:

I had a hard time updating this chapter because I hit a slump. I tried to write previous ones but I can't seem to continue it and they ended up in the _maybe _pile. Then I heard this song by Tata Young. And suddenly, inspiration struck! By the end of her song, I had the story mentally outlined. Listen to the song (with the same title as this chap!), it's really fun! 

Anyways, this is the third reincarnation of this chapter. If any of you are interested in reading the first two ones, go to **triple w dot xanga dot com slash khayee**. Just to promote the blog (I'm happy to tell you that I'm slowly learning the ropes in the online community through the painstaking method of trial and error! Heh!), I'm planning to update the blog more often that my ff.net account since I would be posting teasers and drafts and things I want the readers to sample out first. I have this notify thingy there. If you're interested in being a semi-beta and in being a sort of story editor, join my mailing list in the blog. It's right on top of the page, you can't miss it! Take this chap, for example. I've posted this in the blog a few days before I posted this one. =)

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Immunity Challenge: Chapter 3: Naughty, Sexy, Bitchy Me 

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If there was one person in the world who truly knew Remy LeBeau, it would be Bella Donna. 

That's her name. Bella Donna. Belle, if you're one of those lucky enough to be on pet names basis with her. None of those last names for the blond, blue-eyed goddess. Nosiree! One day, she would join the ranks of all those legendary women without last names—Madonna, Cher, er…Madonna, and of course, Cher.

Bella Donna moved over to the window where the shirtless Remy LeBeau was currently watching the view from their hotel suite, smoking a cigarette. Wearing only her red hot silk robe, she sashayed her way until she was directly behind Remy. She pressed herself to his bare back, her hands traveling from his sides up to his sculptured chest. "What's wrong, _cher_?" She murmured seductively in her ear.

Remy took a drag of his cigarette. "Not now, Belle."

Bella Donna raised an eyebrow. Remy LeBeau was saying no to her? Or rather, Remy LeBeau was saying no? That was like a fish saying no to water!

Removing her wandering hands from her lover, Bella Donna moved from behind Remy to beside him, sharing the window sill seat. "Alright, LeBeau, cough it out."

"It's nothing, _chere,_" came the automatic reply.

"You're saying _non_ to a night of hot, meaningless sex, LeBeau. There must be something wrong." Belle said.

The relationship between Belle and Remy was a unique one. The two had met years ago, back in New Orleans, in a party held by the local talent agency, where both of them signed up. Remy claimed to have fallen head over heels in love with the blond bombshell and immediately pursued her. They dated for a while until Remy's supposed love for the woman waned. He pursued other women but the two of them remained friends. Months later, Remy met Hank McCoy who convinced him to move to New York. Hank then ordered him to audition for the role of a thief in a new TV series, _Gambit_. When Remy was accepted to the role, he suggested Bella Donna for the role of Gambit's love interest. Bella Donna auditioned and was accepted. Remy attempted to re-ignite the fire between them. It worked out for a while, until Remy once again felt the need to _broaden_ his horizons. Belle didn't mind as she felt the same compulsion to resist being tied down. In the end, the two ended up with an open relationship, so to speak. Though they were free to pursue other people; but by the end of the night, they come home to each other. 

It was a situation that suited the both of them. 

If Bella Donna had a soul, she would say that it's mate would've been Remy LeBeau.

So right now, she was a hundred percent positive that something is on Remy's mind. "Remy," Belle coaxed. "You know you can talk to Belle, _beb_."

Remy took one last drag from his cigarette and turned to Bella Donna. He flicked the cigarette to the depths below. His brown eyes locking earnestly to her violet eyes, he took her hand in his and toyed with it. "Do you think Remy's loosing his touch?"

"What?" Bella Donna was seriously shocked. The end must be near! Remy LeBeau was doubting himself!

"There's this _fille_," he began. "She doesn't seem to be interested in Remy."

"She's just probably playing hard-to-get, Remy," Belle placated him. But at the back of her mind, she was already planning and plotting to meet this girl. Imagine a girl with enough will-power to resist the charms of Remy LeBeau! Even the experienced Bella Donna herself was unable to protect her heart from falling for the Cajun Casanova!

"_Non_." Remy said as he stood up. "Remy had to practically trick her into giving him her address."

Bella Donna frowned. "What do you mean, _trick_?"

*

_"_Chere_."_

_Rogue fought back a surprised scream. She placed a hand on her chest, as if that would help slow it down. "You!" She glared at the Cajun actor when she recovered a little. "Trying to scare me to death, Swamp Rat?"_

_Remy raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Swamp rat?"_

_Remy saw Rogue turn her attention back to the road before her. Remy got the distinct feeling that she was silently praying for her cab to arrive so she wouldn't have to make small talk with the him. The notion, although he knew it was not farfetched, made him smile. It only goes on to show how different she was from the others. Most women he knew, and even those he doesn't, would give life and limb for the chance to spend one-on-one time with actor extraordinaire, Remy LeBeau._

_"What?" She demanded irritably after a moment of silence._

_"What?" He smirked when he noticed that she was shifting uncomfortably under his gaze._

_"Why are you staring at me like that? And why are you still here?"_

_"Just being a gentleman, Roguey." He said. "Just waiting for Blondie to come so that Remy can make sure that nothing happens to you at this time of night,"_

_"Blondie?" She gave a long-suffering sigh. "You mean Cody. He's not coming. He left hours ago."_

_And Remy knew that. He should. After being introduced to Cody Robbins, Remy was dragged by some of his acquaintances (mostly women) for drinks and dancing. He, however, kept an eye on the table he left. Remy knew the exact time Blondie had left. Hours later when he saw his _fille_ saying good bye to her friends and decided to swoop in for the kill. He followed her out. After all, there is a saying that when the cat's away…_

_"Now why would a smart pup like him leave a _belle femme_ like Roguey alone in a bar crawling with _hommes_?" _

_Rogue looked at Remy as if he grew an extra head. _

_"If it was Remy in Blondie's place, he would never have left you out of his sight. Who knows who might decide to move in on his territory."_

_His companion snorted._

_"Oh, my god!" A high-pitched voice interrupted their conversation. "Is that Remy LeBeau?"_

_Remy sprung into action. Grabbing Rogue by the wrist, he pulled her into a deserted alley where it was dark._

_"Hey!" Rogue protested as she wrenched Remy's grip off of her._

_"Sorry, _cher_." He grinned apologetically at her. "We were about to be discovered. Remy just wanted to talk."_

_"Talk? Is that what this is?" She asked sarcastically. "I thought the Remy LeBeau was actually attempting some evil deed against my honor." She sighed and became serious. "And what do you think are we going to talk about? We have nothing in common!"_

_"Well, if you want we could do something other than talk," he grinned sexily and leered at her._

_"Haha." Rogue pushed at his chest and began to step away. "I would love to do that some time but I have to get home."_

_"It's too dangerous for a _belle fille_ like you to be out on her own at this hour in the morning. Why don't Remy give you a ride?" He stopped her._

_She looked dubiously at him. "Thanks, but no. I already called a cab." _

_"Maybe next time then." _

_"Maybe," she shrugged concomitantly. "Can I go wait for my cab now?"_

_Remy was amused by the question. "Give Remy your number first."_

_"Remy," Rogue started as if talking to a young child. "I didn't give you my real name. What makes you think that I'll give you my real number?:_

_Remy mock-gasped. "You mean Roguey's not your real name?" He smirked. "What can I say? I'm an optimist. So your number?"_

_Rogue sighed in exasperation. "No."_

_"Please?"_

_"Remy, I have a boyfriend."_

_"Remy knows."_

_"I can't give you my number."_

_"OK. How about Remy gives you his?"_

_"No!" She shook her head and walked away, back to the main road to wait for her cab._

_Remy, undeterred, walked after her._

_Just in time, a cab pulled up the curb._

_Quick as a flash, Remy reached out and grabbed the knob and opened the door for her._

_"Thanks." Rogue gave him a tolerant smile._

_"Anytime, _chere_." He grinned. But instead of closing the door after her, Remy slid in beside her._

_"Hey!"_

_"_Chere_, Remy wouldn't be able to sleep wondering if you got home safe. This way, he can make sure that you be ok and sleep tight tonight." He gave her a charming grin. "Don't worry, _chere_, Remy won't try anything."_

_Rogue sighed in defeat. "Fine. Whatever."_

_Remy grinned in triumph._

_And the cab took off._

*

"Maybe she's gay?" Bella Donna suggested. 

"_Non_. She has a boyfriend." Remy shrugged. 

A boyfriend? Bella Donna's interest was roused. If the boyfriend was the reason the mysterious _fille _was resisting Remy, she would have to meet this boyfriend herself. A plan began hatching at the back of Bella Donna's mind, a plan that would require her meeting with Remy's new _fille_ and ending with Remy and herself both satisfied. And if the boyfriend was anything like what Belle was imagining him to be, she was going to be _very satisfied._

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Anna shut the door quietly behind her and leaned against it. She resisted the urge to make sure that the cab carrying Remy LeBeau had left with him in it. Hearing the cab pass by, she counted to ten before she released a breath.

She didn't know what to make of the actor. Why was he doing this? More importantly, what on earth did he think he was doing?

"Hey!" Her flatmate, Kitty Pryde, ducked her head from her bedroom. "Whacha doing?"

"Nothing." Anna immediately replied. "Still working on your computer program thingy?" Feeling something soft brushing against her ankles, Anna immediately stooped down. "Hey, Lockheed," she scratched the feline Kitty owned which immediately sent the fur ball into cat heaven.

Kitty stretched and walked out of her room. "Yeah. It's a special order by a friend of mine. He needs it to coordinate this huge stunt he's planning. He'll be coming by tomorrow so he could check it out." She noticed the smile lighting up Anna's normally serene face. "Had a nice night? You look like the proverbial cat with yellow feathers in the mouth."

Anna didn't even know that a smile was beginning to tug at her lips. She straightened up and shrugged. There was only one reason for her to be happy that night. "Um, yeah, Cody was able to stop by to say goodbye before he flew to Venice." 

Lockheed hissed in irritation that no attention was being paid to him. 

"It must be a bummer to have a mega-rich boyfriend who has to constantly travel the world to oversee business." Kitty commented, only half-joking. She then picked up her tabby. 

"Tell me about it. Half the time I forget which country he's in." Anna shrugged off the jacket she had been wearing and threw it on a chair. She then began the task of emptying her pockets. "What on earth?" She frowned as she took out a card of some sort from her back pocket. A playing card. "The queen of hearts?"

"What is it?" Kitty asked as she paused, on her way over to the kitchen to give her cat something to chew on.

"I don't remember having this—" her voice trailed off when she turned over the card. On it was an unfamiliar scrawl spelling out the name of a Cajun actor, along with his number. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"Anna?"

"It's nothing, Kit. Go back to work." A smile spread across the face of Anna Marie Darkholme. That man is nothing if not persistent.

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The whole world stopped when she entered the bar. Eyes swiveled to her as she confidently walked in. Slowly, she raised her head, as if contemplating the crowd before her. She lowered her lashes as if finding the scene unworthy of her. She descended the steps lazily, as if she has all the time in the world. She licked her ruby-red lips. The men watched in anticipation and desire. The women watched in envious disgust.

A smirk graced her lips. Just the way she liked it.

Her too-short skirt moved slyly upwards as she sashayed towards the bar. 

While the women surreptitiously whispered her name among themselves, the men sat up in attention that is usually reserved for ballgames. 

Many male eyes never left her legs, hoping for a peek for what lied beneath the short scrap of leather. Other men's attention were focused a little higher—on her above-average chest which were barely covered by wisps of almost see-through fabric. The three-inch high and pencil thick heels of her knee-high boots tapped unswervingly on the floor as she made her way to the bar.

Arriving at her destination, no less than four men fought among themselves to pull out a chair for her. She gave the winner a half-smile, which almost gave the poor guy a heart-attack. Climbing on the chair in such a way that would ensure that the bartender would see the maximum amount of her flesh possible, she smiled at him.

Bella Donna was a woman on a mission.

The bartender's mouth dropped open. "B-Bella Donna?"

"Can I ask you a question, _cher_?" She asked the bartender, who was almost drooling at the sight of her.

It took him a moment to recover. The bartender tossed his long, dirty-brown locks in an attempt to impress the actress. "Sure, honey." He gave her a smile as he put down the glass he was cleaning on the counter. It was important to him that he did not appear to be a lovesick dope. He wanted to show her that he was in control of the situation.

"Do you know a _fille_ named Rogue?"

Immediately, suspicion rose in his eyes. "What do you need Rogue for?" He demanded.

"Just want to talk to her 'bout something." Belle said as she leaned over, ensuring that the bartender see _more _of her cleavage. "I'll make it worth your while."

The bartender, unable to deny a pretty woman anything, sighed and looked around. "Sorry, honey, she won't be coming in tonight." He shrugged as he  picked up the glass he had picked up earlier and continued wiping it.

Bella Donna smiled at him. "You seem to know this Rogue person very well," she purred.

He shrugged. 

"The name's Bella Donna," she flashed him a grin. "You can call me Belle, if you want." She held out a hand.

The bartender wiped his hand on his apron before accepting the hand. "Lance" He said.

"So, about this Rogue," Belle pressed.

"I hung out with her in high school. She's moved back here in Bayville for the summer," he offered her, wanting to give everything, every tiny detail to this blond goddess. 

"You know where I might contact her?"

"I might." Lance shrugged.

"Well." Bella Donna reached into her purse and produced a scented, red and black card. "_Quid pro quo_?" 

Lance grinned as he took out a pen tucked behind his ear and snatched a used order form from the bar top. 

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"Hi. This is Kitty Pryde. If you want to leave a message to me or to my flatmate, Anna Darkholme, you know what to do after the beep!"

_Beep_.

"Anna? It's Cody. I have an emergency. I need to talk to you. I did something. And now I'm freaking scared. Call me ASAP. I need you. I miss you. I love you."

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"And…Cut! That was a great take, people. Nicely done!"

Tossing the bloodied knife she was holding unto the ground (where someone else would undoubtedly pick it up), Bella Donna strode purposely off the set and towards the dressing room assigned for the stars of the show.

There were a few things more satisfying that flawlessly executing a particularly hard scene in one take. Bella Donna took pleasure in the fact that she was not only about the looks. She was a damn good actor.

And a damn good schemer.

She was a woman who was addicted with all the pleasures of life and treasures such pleasures more if she worked hard at it.

And right now, her pleasure was a certain Cajun actor named Remy LeBeau.

Flinging open the Cajun's dressing room door like she owned the place, she found the above-mentioned Cajun lounging lazily on a chair with his bodyguard, and two of the show's staff, smoking cigarettes and playing poker.

"God, this room smells like a bad night in a dingy bar," she drawled. 

"Finished your take, _chere_?" Remy asked lazily, unconcerned and used to her intrusion.

"Boys, I need to speak with Remy alone."

The quiet Russian bodyguard named Piotr, the African-American bleached blond stunt coordinator who preferred to be called Spyke, and the weirdo special effects expert named St. John, rose and left immediately.

"What is it, Bella?" Remy asked as he threw down the set of cards he was playing with.

"I have something you want, LeBeau." She said as she took out a slip of paper from her tight pockets. "And you have something I want." She smiled seductively as her eyes caressed Remy's body.

A mischievous glint twinkled in Remy's eyes. "You want Remy, _chere_?" He asked with a smirk. "You've got it."

"Good." Bella purred. "Tonight, you're all Bella Donna's, _beb_. Every square inch of your body." With that, she gave him the scrap of paper which held not only Rogue's home number, but her real name and cell phone number as well.

Remy hungrily snatched it from Belle. A smile tugged at his lips as he glanced at it. "And you'll soon be Remy's, _chere_," he vowed, muttering to himself. "No use fighting it."

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**~tbc**

OK, next week, I'll update _Ideologies_ so if you wanna know when I'll be updating this next, try two weeks from now. I already wrote the first paragraph of it, and guess who's going to _bamf_ in! =)

Question: I spent a long time thinking about it, and now I'm asking for your opinion: **do you think Remy's the kind of guy who sends flowers to a girl?**

Thanks to all those who read and an extra special thanks to those who reviewed! The response and feedback that I've received for this fic continually overwhelms me. Thanks. That's all I can say, thanks.

**Lady Farevay** – ah, but m'lady, I said Remy's movie _almost_ beat LOtR in the box office ;) Thank you for appreciating my efforts on giving Remy the chance to be a demon-eyed thief in the world of non-superbeings.

**evosmylife **– thanks. I'm really flattered. I'm hesitant to write this too because I kinda liked the idea of a kickass all-powerful Rogue. And in this fic, she's just a regular human. But I'm enjoying myself much. Hope you are, too.

**Cheers Darlin** – Darlin', I'm afraid the idea of Logan being Rogue's dad is not my original idea. Read loads of other fanfic regarding that topic, and on top of my head, _From the Shadows_ by _Black Queen_ is one of them. Being a Romy fan, I never did get the Rogan pairing—not in Evo, not in the comics, heck! not even in the movie. Wow. I sound like a shipper (actually I _am_ a shipper…but moving on). I'm afraid Cody's in for the long-haul. Got some delicious secret about him, as hinted above. As for Jean…well, I see what I can do. 

**Camille** – Thanks for the Rockstar compliment. That fic really surprised me, I'm still getting a review or two months after it's finished. Being a good writer takes practice, practice, practice! And loads and loads of reading, so I'm going to say that you're on the right track. =) Thanks.

**Cathain Nottingham** – You're review is such an upper. Somehow, through a few words, you've managed to convey and impart a feeling of zest and fun! Yey! It's like coffee, only without the bad breath-inducing vileness. 

**ishandahalf** – ah, now the mystery unfolds. Thanks for humoring me. Now I can sleep better at night. =) oh, and you have no idea how long I've waited for someone to comment on Scott's one-eye-yness. You were the first one, so YEY! for you. And I was expecting a lot of grief in making Rogue geeky and Wanda being all girly 'coz they never were in the comics/movie/Evo. And I get another gold star. I now have a grand total of two. Would flattery be able to earn me another one? Oh, and yeah, Rogue's gonna make it real hard for Remy (and I don't mean that in a dirty, sexual kind of way, get your mind out of the gutter, mine's already stuck in there). And, yeah, I'm gonna make a swing for 'em crack bunnies.

**evanescence kicks ass** – Yeah, Evanescence does kick ass, doesn't it? Anyway… funny how everyone thinks it's original, yet my initial reservation about posting this fic is that it's cliché-ish. Maybe it's because it's overdone in other stories but not in XME. Oh, well. I'll just be gracious and let my head swell and accept you compliments. =)

**JexyBaby** – I changed my mind and wrote Kitty in first. Kurt's to follow with an explanation why he's in absentia so far. And there's no scam, he really is her boyfriend. Why is everyone asking that (alright, not _everyone_)? Lots of people have asked if she was only doing that to fend off Remy's advances. Denial much? ;) The thought never occurred to me until you asked the question. Hmm…if you checked my blog on the same day I posted this, then you have not read my drafts, but I posted the two initial drafts and this chap's draft there, wanting to see if I'll get a feedback before posting it here. Thanks.

**Extacy** – Thank you. I'm afraid that I have to leave Remy's reaction to your imagination. I find it hard to write descriptive stuff. And in answer to your question, I generally try to update once a week, generally from Friday to Monday (our time zone). As stated above, I'll be updating my other fic next week, you try to check out this fic in two week's time.

**Star-of-Chaos** – Nope. No medical traumas. I'm actually working on the premise that what if Rogue never knocked out the blond dude. But that doesn't mean that there will be no traumas in the future *insert evil cackle* After all, most of us here are die-hard Romy fans!

**spankychaff **– I swear I tried to update the following day you reviewed for the second time, but I got hit by four exams. Anyway, thanks. But do you think Remy's a possessive/jealous kinda guy?

**GreenFairyGirl88** – Thanks. Hope you liked this chap as much as last chapter.

**Carla-p** – I try not to post until I get at least 3000 words for this fic. Thanks for the ultra-mega nice comments. Your reviews never cease to uplift my spirits.

**_the _Caliente**          - Wanted to review the newest chapter of _Sometimes,_ by my computer won't open links in new windows. Grrr. So if you updated enough stories, I'll send you another email =) Wasn't Cody the name of the football jock Rogue absorbed in Evo? I just assumed it was him 'coz he was blond and all. Thanks for the comments on stuff. I don't know why, but in evo, I always lumped Rogue together with the 'Hood. But I'm making her hang out with Kitty in this fic too coz they're housemates. Yeah, thanks for the thumbs up, but I always saw myself as a Buttercup you know, instead of Blossom. Hmmm…But what adjective rhymes with Buttercup? 

**The Rogue Cajun** – Thanks. =) Flattery, my dear, will get you everywhere.

**Girl number 1** – Well, I'm not sure I can deliver with the heavy stuff, inspite of my initial proclamations to the effect. I'm basically a laid-back person so long as I'm not PMSing so, heavy is not really my forte but I'll try!

**Nigihayami Haruko** – Oh, I initiated you into the wonderful world of Xmen fanfics? JOY! Well, I do have an issue against Jean and Scott which was traced from my childhood experience which dates back to the animated Uncanny X-Men (my first exposure in the Marvel Universe) where they devoted a whole season—A WHOLE SEASON—to the Phoenix Saga, effectively and severely limiting the Rogue exposure. Ahem. All done ranting now.

**bad-girl4** – Cody's her boyfriend…although the question of whether he'll remain her boyfriend is still undetermined. =)

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oh, and still promoting my blog at **triple w dot xanga dot com slash khayee**. Thanks and kisses!


	4. Crazy You Drive Me

Disclaimer: The only compensation I am making from this fic is the warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart whenever I open my email and see that someone took the time off to review it. Obviously, none of the characters are mine. It's Marvel's. And Warner Brothers'. I think.

A/N:

A LOT  of Romy moments below. Enjoy.

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Immunity Challenge: Chapter 4: Drive Me Crazy 

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"AAAAHHHH!"

"Wanda!" Anna called out in distress as she and Kitty Pryde bolted to their feet. "Wanda!" She cried out again as her friend took off running up the stairs.

Kitty's eyes widened as she immediately grabbed the nearest furniture she could use as a weapon—a thin lampshade made out of metal.

"The bat's in the cabinet," Anna whispered as she silently made her way to the storage where she and Kitty kept their sports equipment. Bat held in hand, she nodded to Kitty and together, they made their way to the door.

The three women were enjoying a quiet Sunday evening in the house shared by Kitty and Rogue, gossiping, watching movies, painting each others nails, and trying on the latest fashion cream that guarantees the maintenance of young looking skin, when the doorbell rang. Wanda volunteered to open the door while Kitty's nails were still wet and Rogue's feet were being pampered in a home treatment foot spa. Seconds later, Wanda gave a bloodcurdling scream and ran for her life up the stairs.

Determined to be frightened inside their own home, the two women silently agreed to confront whatever it was that scared Wanda.

"On three," Kitty whispered as she nodded to the door, which Wanda must have unwittingly closed.

Anna nodded and gripped the bat tighter and raised it above her head.

"One," Kitty whispered. "Two."

Anna took a deep, calming breath.

"Three!" Kitty jerked the door open as Anna prepared to swing down her bat forcefully.

"_Chere_!" The voice was more amused than scared at the sight of two women in their sleeping gear (which, to his immense disappointment, consisted of an oversized shirt and boxers for the object of his hunt and a long dress for her friend) attacking him.

Kitty's mouth fell open. She blinked. Twice. "Remy LeBeau?" It seemed forever before she got her voice working. "_The_ Remy LeBeau?"

Remy grinned as he captured one of the brunette's hands in her own and kissed it with a flourish. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance miss—"

"Pyrde," she sighed. "Kitty Pryde." She had heard Wanda's story of Remy LeBeau pursuing Anna in the club but that fact never sunk in until that moment when she opened the front door and he had stood in their front porch in all his glory. 

Anna rolled her eyes as she reluctantly lowered the bat she was holding.

"And I suppose that the one who answered the door underneath all that green goop on her face is your friend, Wanda?" Remy asked, mindful of using the first person pronoun in his Roguey's presence.

Kitty and Anna exchanged a look. No wonder Wanda hightailed it out of sight. She must have forgotten the facial mask that she insisted on wearing earlier to ensure a young, healthy glow of her face. 

"Oh," Kitty stepped back from the front door, dragging Anna with her. "Come on in," she smiled at Remy.

"_Merci, petite_," 

Kitty almost swooned at the sight of his smile being directly solely on her. "Er, I, I'll go and straighten out the living room," she said as she made small steps backwards.

"No, it's alright, I'll do it!" Anna volunteered immediately.

"No. No. I'll be happy to." Kitty insisted as she gave Anna a little push forward. "Entertain Mr. LeBeau in the meantime," with that, she turned around and almost ran out.

Anna regarded Remy warily for a moment. "Come in," she finally said, her upbringing forcing her to mind her manners.

Remy smiled at her. "_Non_, it's OK, _chere_. Just dropped by to give you something,"

It was then Anna noticed that one of Remy's hand was kept at his back during the duration of their exchange.

"No!" Anna exclaimed, never one for flowers and chocolates. "It's OK. You don't have to give me…a box?"

Remy handed her the box wrapped in a green ribbon. "It's the DVD of the first season of _Gambit_," he explained. "Thought you might like to get acquainted with the series."

"Oh."

"Remy's leaving for Las Vegas tonight for a shoot, _chere_," he continued. "Be out for a few days. Think of me when you watch the show?"

Anna fought the urge to roll her eyes. Ego much? How can she help but think of him while watching the DVD he gave her since it was _his_ show? "Er, right. Thanks. I'm just going to put this here," she said as she turned around a bit to place the box, which suddenly felt as if it weighed a ton, on the table behind her. And when she turned back around…

"For you, Anna," in Remy's grasp was a long stemmed red rose, which he handed to her with much flair. 

Anna felt her cheeks redden, unable to do something about it. "I—um—thanks," she said. "Wait. How did you know that my name was Anna?" She looked at him suspiciously.

"Let's just say that Remy took the effort to learn his _fille_'s name."

"I am not your _fille_ or whatever!"

"Not yet." Without waiting for Anna to react, the Cajun leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Miss me a little while I'm gone?" The question was more of an almost-desperate plea. 

And Remy was gone before Anna could gather her wits to reply.

"Where is he? Where is he?"

Anna could have stood there near the door for seconds, minutes, or hours, grasping the stem of the rose in her hand, before Wanda came running to the door, her face devoid of any odd-colored cream, looking for the Cajun actor.

Anna shook herself mentally out of her stupor. "H-He already left."

Wanda's hands flew to her waist. "What did you say to him that made him leave?" She demanded.

"I don't think you'll believe me if I tell you."

*

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There's one in every family. 

His mother was a lawyer. His father, may his soul rest in peace, was a law professor. His half-sister was a law student. His grandfather was a judge. His great-grandfather was a Justice of the Supreme Court. 

And he? 

He was a gymnast, and damn proud of it. 

He scanned the airport for any sign of the woman who was to pick him up. 

Fresh from Germany where he spent one year training in gymnastics, he was looking forward to seeing everyone again and show off stuff he picked up. 

He craned his neck to search for any familiar face. Nope. Nothing. 

Funny, you think after one year of not seeing him, they would've been excited to see him again.

"Kurt! Kurt! Over here!" A familiar yet foreign sounding voice interrupted his reverie.

"_Schwester_!" Dropping his bags dramatically on the ground, he opened his arms wide as a figure launched itself into his arms.

Green eyes looked up curiously at his own bluish violet. "_Schwester_?"

"_Ja_." Kurt grinned wider. "Means sister. Miss me? And what took you so long?" He dropped all four bags he was carrying and opened his arms. He bodily picked up Anna and twirled her around.

"My boss had me finish up some last minute stuff before he let me leave," she replied with an easy grin. Pulling herself out of his embrace, she shouldered one of his packs. "And what's with the accent?"

"Like it?" He asked. "I said I'm tired of the old one so I got myself a new one. So, how's my big sister Anna?" 

Anna shrugged. "What's wrong with the accent, sugah?" She asked, her question intentionally thick with a southern drawl. 

"Nothing," he grinned. "It's just that it's suits you more than me." He winked at her.

"So, how are the Wagners?" Anna asked as she shouldered one of Kurt's bags, referring to her brother's family in Germany.

Kurt's father can trace his roots in Germany. In fact, some of their relatives still lived there, which cemented Kurt's decision to go to that country to train in his craft. He figured it would be hitting two birds with one stone. 

Kurt's father was a lecturer in a law school, where he met Raven Darkholme as a student. The two eloped just after one semester of law school and Kurt was born the summer thereafter. Unfortunately, _Herr_ Wagner died in a vehicular accident when Kurt was ten. 

Kurt grinned. "Same old, same old. Lawyers and judges, the lot of them." 

"Ah." Anna gave her brother a knowing look. "No pressure, right?" She knew the pressure exerted by the Wagners for her brother to take up law, but she also knew that he wouldn't give up gymnastics for the world.

"Oh, wait!" Kurt frowned as he examined all the bags that surrounded them. "I'm still one bag short. Left one in the conveyor-thingy because I can't carry them all." He shrugged. It's not that he had a lot of stuff, it was just he was a bad packer. What an average person could pack in one bag would take him two or three bags. "Watch over my things, _ja_?" Without waiting for an answer, Kurt dashed back inside.

"_Ja_?" Anna repeated in disbelief. It's going to be one loooong summer! She fought off a smile as she dropped down to sit on one of Kurt's suitcases as she waited for him. It felt good to finally have her brother back. 

She noticed that there was a commotion somewhere inside and it was slowly making its way outside, towards where she was seated. She sighed. That, whatever _that_ was, was probably why Kurt was taking too long.

"_Cherie_!" A familiar voice shouted, which sent a tingling sensation down Anna's back. "You came for Remy."

And for the second time that hour, Anna was picked up and twirled around, this time by an ecstatic Cajun. Before Anna could protest, she felt the actor's lips press firmly against her own. What was more surprising was that instead of pulling back, she found herself closing her eyes and responding eagerly to the impromptu kiss.

That is, until cameras started flashing. 

Anna gasped as she pushed the Cajun actor away, albeit belatedly. The kiss lasted only seconds, but it had made its impact largely felt. "N-no…I-I…Er…" her voice was barely above a whisper.

Microphones were suddenly shoved in her face. 

"Are you Remy's new love interest?"

"How long have you been together?"

"Is it true that you are the one who bore Remy's love child?"

"I—er—WHAT?" Anna wanted nothing more that moment than for the earth to swallow her up. What on earth was she doing, kissing the famous actor in front of the press.

"Now, now," a largish man with a kind face pushed his way towards Remy and Anna, clapping his hands enthusiastically. "Any and all of your questions will be answered later at Remy's press con later at the hotel. You are all invited."

But the bloodsuckers were not to be appeased, still firing question after question at Anna and Remy.

"_PUTAIN_!" A feminine voice shrieked which startled the media men into silence. "Are you stupid? Look what you've done!"

And suddenly, the media people thinned, flocking instead to furious Bella Donna who had just excited the terminal.

Anna breathed a sigh of relief as the crowd slowly disappeared in front of her. She sent out a prayer of thanks when she saw Kurt walking towards her.

"_Chere_?" Remy prodded softly which made a dazed Anna take several baby steps away from him.

"Let's go, _liebchen_," Kurt cheerfully announced, appearing suddenly, oblivious to his sister's fifteen seconds of fame and the Cajun actor beside her who made it all happen. He took the bags on the floor and led the way, looking forward to seeing his American friends again.

It took Anna a minute or two before she can respond. "Later, Remy," Anna tossed out to Remy as she adjusted the bag strap on her shoulder and hurried after her clueless younger brother. In her haste, she did not see the triumphant smile on Remy's lips as he watched her ran away from him. "Wait a minute," Anna called out after Kurt. "_Liebchen_?"

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"You are going down Elf!" Pietro announced gleefully as he stole the basketball from Kurt.

Kurt winced at the use of his childhood nickname. It wasn't his fault that his growth spurt waited until sophomore year of high school before it manifested itself. All throughout his youth, his elder sister had towered over him, as well as his friends and classmates. "You'll pay for that, _Herr _Maximoff!" He yelled as he ran after the quickest player of their game.

"What is it with him and inserting random words of German?" Lance groaned to Anna before jogging after the two.

"Ahn! Heads up!" Pietro shouted as he passed the ball to his teammate.

The four of them—Pietro, Kurt, Lance, and Anna—were enjoying a good-natured game of basketball to celebrate Kurt's joyous return to the US of A. They were to meet Wanda and Todd later for the celebratory pizza and beer.

Anna easily caught the ball. "Three points, no rim," she announced before Lance could run back to guard her.

And sure enough, the ball easily sunk into the basket.

"Nice shot, _cherie_,"

Four surprised eyes swiveled towards the entrance of the gym where they were playing in. They had reserved the courts for the evening, no one but them were supposed to go in.

"Oh. It's you." Anna resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Kurt, who went after the ball earlier, dribbled it threateningly. "Do you know this guy, _Schwester_?" He asked.

"It's Remy LeBeau," Pietro spat the name out. "He's been bothering her since a few days back, in Logan's bar."

Lance narrowed his eyes in remembrance. "And he's asking around about her, too." 

"Is that true?" Kurt tucked the ball under his arm. 

"It's nothing," Anna frowned, uncomfortable with the rising level of testosterone inside the gym. "Just ignore him and we could just go back to the game."

"Remy'll be right here to cheer you on, _cher_," Remy grinned unrepentantly.

Anna could have sworn she heard her normally good-natured brother growl. 

"What are you doing here, LeBeau?" Anna demanded.

"Just thought I'd head over the courts for some work-out, challenge the local players a bit." He replied easily. Actually, he had called her earlier, only to learn from Kitty Pryde that Anna had head over to the courts with her friends.

"This is a private court," Kurt spat out.

"Yeah." Pietro affirmed. "Get out, or we'll escort you out."

Unwilling to look weak in front of the woman he's wooing, Remy crossed his arms in defiance. "Make me."

"Hey!" Anna tried to hold back the short-tempered Pietro by holding on his arms. "Stop it."

Pietro managed to calm himself.

"Let's just go back to the game," Anna almost begged.

"Not until the _fille_ tells me to go." 

"Remy, just leave." Anna said.

"Not until you give Remy a good bye kiss," he leered.

"That's it!" Everyone, save one, was shocked when Kurt suddenly lunged for the actor.

Remy reacted immediately, sidestepping Kurt's attack. 

Kurt, who fell on the floor due to his velocity, immediately picked himself up to launch another blow against Remy.

Pietro and Lance tried to intercept, but they were all shocked when they heard the gym door slam close angrily.

"Anna?"

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"Excuse me, would you know where the wash rooms are?"

"Sure, it's just around—" but Anna's cheerful words died on her lips when she looked up and saw who was interrupting her case studies. "You!"

An infuriating Cajun smirk was the answer to her unspoken accusation. "_Chere_," he murmured huskily as he easily captured one of Anna's hand in his own. "Seems like _Madame_ Destiny's bent on putting us together,"

Remy hid a smirk. He couldn't believe his luck when he arrived in the airport and saw his _chere_ seated on a group of baggage as if waiting for someone, for him in particular. The basketball game was just an impromptu thing. He didn't make any conscious decision to go to where she was, he just found himself going to the gym.

But this current meeting had nothing to do with chance or spur-of-the-moment action.

When Belle had handed him the paper containing Rogue's particulars, he had made the connection between her and Attorney Darkholme because of the similar last names and the fact that he had seen her earlier in the lawyer's office. That, coupled with the older Darkholme's protective nature at the slightest hint of Remy's interest on the Rogue, led the Cajun to the belief that the two are related, if not mother and daughter. A few research on his part confirmed his theory. 

That day, when he arrived on the set of the shoot and learned that he was not needed for the day, he decided to work his knowledge to his advantage. He decided to visit the law firm where he knew for a fact Anna was working.

And he wasn't disappointed. The moment he entered the plush law office, he saw Anna inside an open office, poring over stacks of paper.

Not that he was going to admit the fact to her.

"Wait," Green eyes regarded him in suspicion. "I'm mad at you."

Remy gave his best wounded puppy look. "If Remy says that he came here to apologize, would you accept?" He asked. "He would even volunteer to take you out for coffee to make it up to you."

"No!" Anna glared at him. Then, a look of suspicion crossed her face. "Just what are you doing here?"

Remy resisted the urge to pout. Alright, so the idea didn't really proceed according to plan, but that doesn't deter him from trying! "Er—Remy's here for," he paused, thinking that the woman in front of him would not be impressed with his track record with the law so far. "His last will and testament," he finished weakly.

"Last will and…" Anna frowned. "What, are you dying or something?"

"If Remy says _oui_, would that earn him _at least_ a pity date?" The infuriating smirk was back. 

"It wouldn't even earn you a look of pity," Anna grumbled. "The wash rooms straight down the corridor," she then turned back to her work, clearly dismissing the man before her.

"Later, _cherie,_" with a cheerful and undaunted wave, the Cajun went off his way, thinking to himself that he could almost hear the sound of her heart breaking because of him.

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**~tbc**

Don't forget to go to **triple w dot xanga dot com slash khayee** for updates, teasers, spoilers, beta-reading and other stuff!

And now onward ho to the reviews! 

Just want to send a general shout-out of **thanks** to those who took the time off to write me a note. A double thank you to those who answered my flower power question.

**Girl number 1**, I'll try my best not to fall under the cliché-ish trap. =) and I'll keep your suggestions in mind. Thanks.

**JexyBaby**, thanks for the note you left in my blog. Your feedback really helped. I adjusted the scene for it to make much more sense. I'm afraid that there are times when things are clear in my head, unfortunately, I fail in trying to articulate it. So thanks. I appreciate it lots. And your review really made my day. You have no idea how flattered I am that you were willing to slave through my unedited chaps and tell me that you liked the final one best. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hope to hear from you again soon. =)

**Steph Silverstar**, so, ff.net been giving you trouble, huh. Usually what I do is use another computer, or wait until the next day so I can access it again. Hope the tip helps! =)

**Caliente**, What's up, Buttercup? Thanks for the personal email. I saved it in my hard drive so I can read and reread your showers of praises upon my person. My brothers actually watched my head become bigger and bigger. =) Glad Belle disturbed you, my mission in life is now complete ;) I'm not saying why Cody called Rogue, tho. Maybe he just missed her—not! Alright. This is a special Romy chap because when I went over my fic I realized that there is a serious need for Romy moments in 'em. So hope this made up! 

**rika-or-ri**, thanks for the affirmation on Rogue's name. I was really apprehensive about them. I read stories where the readers were complaining because the author used Anna instead of Marie or whatever, so I just made Marie her second name. I really like the name Anna. Glad someone agrees with me.

**Extacy**, glad you liked my version of Belledonna. (Un)fortunately, she's not in this chapter. And I'm happy with the fact that you like my Remy, even if he is a jerk. Well, you know what they say about love and blindness and faults and all. OK. Rereading that statement made me realize that it made no sense. Blame it on the sugar rush. Tip: Eating one giant bar of chocolate by yourself is NOT a good idea especially if one bite of it could make you hyper for a good ten minutes.

**Alyxandria**, Aha. Another one of those women who likes a little attitude in their men. =) Thank you. And this note, when are you going to update your rocking stories?

**evosmylife**, wow. What has Belle done that made you hate her aside from stealing Remy away from Rogue, trying to kill Remy, standing in the way of Romy fluff, kidnapping Cody, conspiring with Candra…oh…I see your point. =) Don't worry. I'll make sure that in this fic, Belle would get what's coming to her. Mwahahahaha!

**Society's Dirtbag**, thanks for the exhaustive ego stroke. Reading your review pretty much left me grinning like a lunatic for the rest of the day, a fact that my brothers never tire to point out. Rest assured that I would do my very best to update this story every other week and not to start any new stories until this or my other XME fic gets finished. How's that?

**Lady Farevay**, Sorry, the Cody mystery won't be solved until later—much later. Don't worry, I'll be dropping a few hints about it now and then. About my inspiration, it comes from different sources. Regarding this fic, this was pretty much inspired by a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fic I read which is archived in another place. As I read from one of my favorite local author, inspiration is pretty much all around you, you just have to look really close and think. =)

**evanescence kicks ass**, thanks. I realized that I've been torturing Rogue with all the Cajun charm turned on her full blast. But then, if that's torture, Remy's free to torture me any day wink wink

**GreenFairyGirl88**, thanks for the flower answer. I was pretty much undecided until I wrote the chap so I decided, what the heck. I'll just make him give her one single-stemmed. The rest would come later, I guarantee it.

**Nigihayami Haruko**, pardon my ignorance, but what does naruhodo mean? What language is it? =) Thanks for your compliment on the title of last chapter. As I wrote previously, that song made the writing of the chap flow.

**driftinkowgirl **(of **driftinkowgirl@aol.com**), thanks. I pretty much started the same way—writing fanfics for myself and myself only. You wouldn't believe the amount of self-motivating speeches I had to give myself before I can post my first story in the Net. But it becomes easier over time. The advantages of having other people read your work is that more eyes can spot your mistake and correct you so that you can develop as an author. But, hey!, that's just me. =)

**dreamschemer**, never thought about cruel intentions…I know of the general story and watched bits and pieces of it, but I never really watched the whole movie. But thanks for the comparison. Made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

**ishandahalf**, out of the numerous responses I got, only two said that Remy would not give Rogue flowers. Although majority is for it, your answer gave me serious second doubts. I mean, it was the Queen of Romyness herself who said that there would be no giving of flowers, who am I to say otherwise? So I decided to compromise. I had loads of fun writing it. Hope you have fun reading it, too.

**MorriganFearn**, another convert to the AU things. Thanks. I'm really, really flattered. And as a reward, the fuzzy dude had made his entrance, unfortunately, he ain't fuzzy no more. I'll try to think of a way to write in '_chicks dig the fuzzy dude_' as Kurt's dialogue. Hmmmm….

**Leishy**, Hey! I like the brotherhood too. I hated the fact that in cannon evo, the 'hood is portrayed as this wishy washy bunch whom Mystique abandoned on their own. I mean, they did kick X-Men butt by in part one of the season ender of season 1, right? And when Wanda was added to the mix, they became more powerful, right? So what's up with that? ahem I'm ok now. Thanks for the Belle comment. It went straight to my head.

**Cathain Nottingham**, thanks. I'll try to make other evo characters make a cameo too. =) And I'll do my best for more John, Spike, and Piotr exposure.

**The Rogue Cajun**, you're the other dissenter who said that Remy won't give flowers to Rogue. Unfortunately, majority said yes. So, that's what happened. Anyway, thanks for your feedback. It was muchly appreciated. =)

**willa. j.**, thank you, dear. And read above, Remy gave a long-stemmed red rose. Wish someone would give me a long-stemmed red rose.

**spankychaff**, thanks for the load of compliments and to the answers to my questions. Unfortunately, I cannot reveal the Cody mystery because that is essential in my plot. No one but me, myself, and I know about what it is. Of course, the beauty in that set-up is that I could change the secret at will. But I won't. I promise that I would reveal the secret if one reviewer could correctly and specifically guess what it is. Care to render a guess?

**Cheers Darlin**, ah, now your comment made sense. Unfortunately, I'm a Romy shipper through and through. =) So you would have to bear with my perception of Logan as Rogue's father figure. Can't really see them together, not even in the movies. Of course, that may be due to the fact that I view life through Romy-vision. =)

And to

**Star-of-Chaos**, dude, you made me very happy. Your review came within twenty minutes of my posting the chap. You rawk! And the answer to your question as to whether Remy made the connection between Rogue and Raven is answered above. Hope you enjoyed my fic!


	5. Naughty Girl

Disclaimer: The only compensation I am making from this fic is the warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart whenever I open my email and see that someone took the time off to review it. Obviously, none of the characters are mine. It's Marvel's. And Warner Brothers'. I think.

A/N:

How long was I gone? A week? Two? A month? A month and a half?

blushes shamefully

Sorry guys. I was busy on a project for most of April and was hospitalized for two weeks in May. After I got home, actually after that horrible, horrible experience (something about having a morbid fear of needles with a doctor who absolutely insisted on blood samples every eight hours), I was so weak that I can't write for a while.

Can you forgive me also for not answering reviews for this chapter? I have a feeling that you've forgotten all about this fic and what you've written all those weeks ago. =) Plus, still feeling a wee bit woozy.

Thanks guys. And to make it up, I'm updating my other fic too.

Special prize goes to **JexyBaby **and to **curlygurly** for getting my arse into gear for this one.

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The Immunity Challenge

Chapter 5

Naughty Girl 

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She consulted the numbers proudly displayed on the door and then at the piece of paper she held in her hands. Same number. With an arrogant toss of her shiny blond hair, she then rang the door bell.

A petite brunette answered the door.

"Is this the house of Anna Marie Darkholme?" Honeyed words poured out from pouty bloody red lips.

The brunette's eyes widened in shock and promptly forgot how to work her vocal cords.

Biting back the urge to impatiently tap her foot, the blond by the door let out a sigh. "Hello?" She waved a hand in front of the brunette's face. "Can I see Anna anytime tonight?"

"Kitty?" A voice from somewhere inside the house interrupted the one-sided conversation taking place on the porch.

Barely a second later, another woman appeared beside the brunette. She, too, succumbed to whatever it was that caused the brunette's mouth to fall open.

The blond frowned. "You're not Anna Darkholme,"

"B-Bella Donna?" The second woman gasped.

A smile graced the woman's lips. She soo loved it when other people start knowing her name. It meant that she was becoming the star that she had dreamt of as a child, if she wasn't there already.

Bella Donna extended a flawless hand. "And you are?"

Giving herself a mental shake, the other woman decided that she won't embarrass herself in front of celebrities anymore, the memory of opening the door for Remy LeBeau while wearing a disgusting green facial goo still fresh in her mind. "Wanda. Wanda Maximoff." She accepted the proffered hand. "And this is Kitty Pryde." She nudged the girl beside her out of her stupor.

"Hi!" Kitty Pryde finally chirped when she got over her shock of opening her door and seeing actor/model Bella Donna on the other side.

Bella Donna almost winced at Kitty's over enthusiastic greeting. "So? Anna?"

"I can't believe that Anna's friends with both stars of _Gambit_," Wanda muttered.

_Oh,_ Bella Donna thought crossly. _I wouldn't exactly describe us as friends_.

* * *

_"I can't believe you made me break my date, LeBeau." Bella Donna hissed under her breath even as she let herself be escorted by her fellow Cajun actor into her favorite restaurant,_ Eros.

_"I'll make it worth your while, _chere_," Remy murmured his promise._

_Bella Donna sighed. She knew Remy was stuck on a girl, which in itself is not unusual. What was unusual was that the girl was not into him at least as much as he was into her. That fact was probably the reason why he was dateless that Friday night._

_Oh, Bella wouldn't fool herself into thinking that Remy was depressed over that fact or even in love with the girl. _

_He was just challenged by the fact that a mere _femme_ is resisting his advances. _

_Since the most recent object of his affections refused to be with him Friday night, and it would be impolite to ask others out as he persisted until the very last moment into tempting her into coming out with him (Belle knew at least a dozen girls who would be willing to be Remy's last-minute date but that crazy man's sense of chivalry prevented him from doing so. Funny, _Bella later reflected_, how that same sense of chivalry fails to apply to her!). _

_Remy tempted Belle into canceling her date by telling her that he's got reservations in _Eros_ that he would probably have to cancel because he was dateless. _

_Reservation in _Eros_ was not to be taken lightly. It had to be booked months and months in advance. But LeBeau seems to have a perpetual reservation in that restaurant seemingly weekly._

_It was a rare man that gets Belle into that dining place._

_Bella surveyed the crowd. Only the rich and the influential dine there. _

_Then, her blue eyes widened. "Oh, LeBeau, I believe you just made it worth my while." She said as she clutched his arm to prevent him from making his way to the maître d'._

_Remy raised an eyebrow._

_Bella nudged her head towards a table. "Dakota Robbins the Fifth," she said, naming the blond seated there. "Heir to the Robbins fortune, from the Robbins International Hotels. Never had the chance to meet him yet since her almost always out of the country. So this must be my lucky night."_

_Bella knew Remy wasn't terribly surprised at her knowledge. If there was a worthy bachelor out there, Bella Donna sniffs him out soon enough. She knew her charms are enough to sweep that unsuspecting bachelor off his feet, but she'd be the first to tell any girl seeking advice that additional help couldn't hurt. And after all, knowledge is power._

_A smile that can only be described as evil touched Remy's lips. "Remy's going to make your night much, much more valuable, _chere_," he whispered to her ear huskily. "How would you like an introduction to Mr. Robbins?"_

_"You know him?"_

_Belle, for the first time noticed Mr. Robbin's date._

_Porcelain complexion. Full, pouty lips. Emerald eyes. Russet locks. Long thick lashes. Dressed a bit on the conservative side, but Belle could see that she was pretty, if a bit on the staid side._

_And it was as if she and Remy couldn't have come at a more convenient time. It was clear that the couple in question was having a tiff, based on the apology in Robbin's eyes and the unshed tears in his date's._

_Remy grinned but didn't reply. Instead, he ignored the head waiter and led Bella instead to the table in question._

_"Anna," Remy spoke out pleasantly when they were already beside the table._

_When he saw Belle, Robbins removed his hand which covered his date's and immediately stood up._

_"Now isn't really a good time, LeBeau," the woman said softly as she looked away._

_"It's fine, Anna." Robbins tried to catch her eye but she refused. He let out a sigh. "LeBeau," he acknowledged the other man. "Nice to see you again,"_

_An elegant eyebrow raised. So she's _the_ Rogue._

_The two shook hands._

_"This is my friend, Bella Donna," Remy introduced the sensuous woman by his side. "Belle, meet Cody Robbins,"_

_Bella was almost disappointed when _Cody _Robbins merely shook her hand. _

_"This is my girlfriend, Anna Darkholme." _

Girlfriend, huh?

_Cody smiled cordially at the two. "Why don't you—"_

_"Cody," there was no mistaking the warning in Anna's voice when she interrupted him._

_"Join us?" Cody finished weakly._

_"Why thank you." With a haughty glance, Bella was able to summon two waiters to add chairs to the table._

_When all was seated and the newcomers were examining their menu, Bella saw Cody's hand attempt to once again cover Anna's. She was delighted when Anna immediately withdrew her hand._

_"Ahn," _

_"Excuse me," with that, Anna immediately walked away from their table._

_Cody was about to follow when a hand on his arm prevented him from doing so. "Give her a few minutes to compose herself," Bella Donna advised._

_Hesitation warred in Cody's eyes, but in the end he followed the unsolicited advice._

_"Or, better yet," a malicious smile crossed Bella Donna's lips, but Cody was too distraught to notice. "Why don't we send Remy after her?"_

_

* * *

_

"Anna, someone's here to see you!" Wanda singsonged.

If Anna was surprised when she saw the popular actress visiting her in her house, she gave no outside indication. She merely flickered a glance at her and turned her attention back to the pint of ice cream she held in her hands.

"Hello, Anna." Belle took notice of the puffy eyes, the red nose, the pink pajama, and the silken robe that was Anna Raven.

Anna sniffed. "Go away."

"Nice to see you, too"

Anna's two friends watched in wide-eyed attention at the exchange of words.

"You're actually the last person I want to see right now." Anna frowned. "Why are you here anyway?"

"Believe it or not, I came here as a friend." At Anna's snort, Belle continued. "Look, I know we met on the wrong foot and all, but I'm not here to steal Cody from you—" Actually, she was, but Anna didn't have to know that.

"Steal Cody from me?" Anna asked incredulously, and for the first time since Bella entered, fire began to burn in her eyes. "I'd like to see you try!"

Bella frowned. Was that an open challenge? "I actually came here to apologize for coming on strong last night. I just wanted you to know that flirting is as normal as breathing to me and last night meant nothing. But you seem so sure of yourself that I have to choice but to take you up on your offer,"

Once more, Anna seem to lose interest in the conversation. "Yeah, well, whatever."

"You mean you don't mind if I attempt to seduce your boyfriend."

Anna shrugged, "Knock yourself out."

Bella frowned. "Are you guys over?"

"I actually don't know."

Belle sighed. Cody Robbins was practically being handed over to her on a silver platter. She supposed she should be glad but she can't help but feel suspicious. "You know what? I'm gonna do you guys a favor…"

* * *

**tbc**

* * *

_sorry guys, feeling a bit doozy again so i have to stop. but i leave with a promise--_**I would update this story within this week, Thursday at the latest.**_See ya'll then!_


	6. Ladies' Night

Disclaimer: The only compensation I am making from this fic is the warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart whenever I open my email and see that someone took the time off to review it. Obviously, none of the characters are mine. It's Marvel's. And Warner Brothers'. I think.

A/N: Chapter 6, as promised. =)

This is supposed to be part of Chapter 5 but I decided that short but regular updates is better than long but rare ones. Right?

* * *

The Immunity Challenge 

Chapter 6

Ladies' Night 

* * *

In retrospect, Remy was willing to admit that giving Anna Darkholme a box set of _Gambit_'s first season was probably not the wisest thing that he did. But that _femme_ has got him so intrigued and confused that he could not be thinking straight around her.

She was so different from the rest of the female species that was usually around him. For one thing, she seemed immune to her charms. No matter how he hits on her, she just rolls her eyes. Instead of turning beet red and stammering at Remy's extra attention, Anna only looks like she was merely tolerating his silliness. __

And Remy would be damned if that didn't make him want her more.

So Remy made the mistake of treating her like he treats the rest of his groupies. Well, he's here to remedy his mistakes.

Armed with a lovely bouquet of lilies and other assorted flowers he could not name, Remy LeBeau strode confidently to Anna Darkholme's front door. But just as he was to ring the doorbell, the door swung open.

Remy's confident smirk slipped a bit when he saw a crumpled Cody Robbins from behind the door.

Cody Robbins, another hindrance to Remy's prize that was Anna. Remy could only admire and marvel at Anna's love and devotion to the man.

Not that he was going to let that stop him from attaining his goal.

"Anna?" Remy tentatively touched Anna's bare shoulders. Feeling her cold skin and seeing goose bumps on her exposed flesh, Remy removed her dinner jacket and draped it on her petite frame.

He had followed her immediately after she stormed out of the main dining hall after he and Belle interrupted her dinner with Cody Robbins.

* * *

_Anna didn't turn to him nor made any acknowledgment of his presence._

_"Sorry, _chere_," he murmured as he stood beside her on the veranda of _Eros_. Like her, he pretended to admire the view of the city at night before him._

_"Are you?" She turned expectantly to him._

_Remy raised an eyebrow. "Am I—" he pressed._

_"Sorry." She clarified. "Are you _really_ sorry?"_

_Remy grinned at her. "Can't say that I am," he admitted. He would be the first to admit that he's the sort of person that would do anything to get what he wants. And right now, he wanted Anna's heart. And the Robbins heir stands between him and her._

_She was silent for a second, regarding him with an intensity that almost made him uncomfortable. Then, she abruptly turned away._

_"_Chere_?" Remy prompted after a moment of uncomfortable silence, well, uncomfortable for him._

_"Have you ever been in love?" She finally asked softly, so softly that Remy wasn't sure he heard her or imagined it._

_"_Mais O_—"_

_"Really been in love," she continued before he could finish his answer. "So much that your own happiness didn't matter, only the other person's."_

_Remy turned to her in interest._

_"So much that no matter how it hurts, you can't let go because if you do, you would hurt the other person more. And you would rather die than hurt him,"_

_"We're not talking about Remy anymore, are we,_ cher_?"_

_Anna let out a painful sob and turned away from him._

_"_Cher_," Remy murmured as he gently took her chin and used it to turn her face back to him. He carefully brushed away a tear that had fallen on her cheeks._

_That was all it took before Anna broke down in front of him. She covered her face with her hand as she cried._

_"Anna," he whispered her name reverently, hoping to give her comfort. Tentatively, awkwardly, Remy stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms loosely around her._

_"It hurts, Remy," she whispered in between sobs. "But I love him so much,"_

_"Shh," one of his hands moved up and started to stroke her hair. "It'll be OK,"_

_After a while, Anna ceased crying. "I'm sorry," she attempted to break away from Remy's embrace._

_But Remy wouldn't let her go. "Are you?"_

_Anna giggled a bit as she tried to contain her sniffles. "I deserved that."_

_"Oui, that you do," he smirked down at her though she couldn't see him in his embrace. "Here," he handed her his handkerchief._

_"Thanks," she stepped back a little to dab at her face but still, Remy didn't let her go._

_Remy wondered at himself. Never had a woman cried in his arms. Never had he seen a woman cry for a man other than him. Never felt the need to protect someone as fiercely as the need to protect Anna at this moment. "Anna, what are you doing to me?" Muttered under his breath._

_"What?" Anna asked him with a frown as she pulled further back to study his face._

_"Nothing," he denied as he pulled her closer. "Just want you to know, chere, anytime you need a friend, Remy's here."_

_He could almost feel the smile on her face. "Thanks." She sniffed. "Uh, Remy?"_

_"_Oui_?"_

_"Are you feeling me up?"_

* * *

"Monsieur Robbins," Remy greeted pleasantly. "Fancy meeting you here,"

Cody grabbed Remy's shirt.

Remy's grin grew wider, anticipating a fight. It had been a while since he had let out steam in a good old fashioned brawl. The staged and carefully choreographed fight scenes in Gambit were not enough to quell his need for violence.

He was disappointed, however, when Cody took a deep, calming breath and stepped back.

"Sorry about that," he immediately apologized. "That girl keeps me from thinking straight."

Join the club, Remy almost uttered out loud. "Why? What's wrong?" He asked instead.

"I'm not really sure," Cody admitted. "I'm on my way to Wolverine's, to see if Anna's there."

"She isn't." Remy said confidently. "That's where I was. I came here to see if she and Kitty needs a ride when I didn't see them. Is anything wrong?"

There was brief moment of struggle in Cody's face. "She called me up a while ago," he finally said. "She didn't make any sense. And I have this feeling that she's drunk."

Remy was surprised. Anna didn't seem like the type who drinks all her problems away.

"She's not used to drinking." Cody affirmed Remy's thoughts. "And she's hurting. She has a history of doing—things—that she won't usually do when she's hurting."

She's hurting because of you, Remy glared darkly at him.

"Can you help me find her?" Cody asked.

Remy nodded, his hand already on his phone before Cody can even ask the question.

"Belle?"

"Remy!" Bella Donna's delighted laugh floated from Remy's phone. "You'll never guess who I'm with!"

"Anna Darkholme."

Bella Donna laughed once more. "You know me too well. No need to thank me, chere,"

"Where are you?" Remy asked, distress obvious in his voice.

"Having a wee bit of fun, of course!"

"And her friends?" Remy pressed.

"If you're talking about the perky brunette and the annoying redhead, then they're with us, too."

Remy let out a grunt of frustration. "Where are you?"

"My, my, LeBeau, a little impatient, are we?"

"Belle, now's not the time for games. Her boyfriend called and roused every friend they have. They're worried about her."

"And with a good reason." Belle teased. "Your little geek becomes Ms. Hyde with the right incentive."

"What are you talking about?" He pressed.

"Why don't you see for yourself, Remy?" Belle dared him. "I'm very sure that you'll be very grateful to me."

* * *

When Anna Darkholme was in high school, she discovered that her mother lied to her. By a cruel twist of fate, she met a stranger who saved her life on the very week that they moved to Bayville. That stranger turned out to be her father.

Hurt and confused, the normally happy and content Anna rebelled against her mother.

She hung out with the slacker group of Bayville High—a group of misfits who couldn't care less about school or rules.

Sick of being everything her mother expected her to be, she decided to experiment in an attempt on self-expression.

It turned out that she liked being Goth, much to her conservative mother's horror.

Dressed in dark shades of green and black, and wearing dark or purple make-up was only the beginning. Soon, she found herself listening almost exclusively to heavy rock and punk, much to her mother's chagrin. And to top it off, she dyed her longish bangs white.

Now, dressed in a tight black tank top and a short leather mini skirt with matching boots, Anna looked like she was having a lapse of her high school phase, complete with the two-toned hair.

In addition, she was presently drunk in the middle of the dance floor. To the delight of the men present, she was grinding and loosing herself to the music, unmindful of everything else around her.

And from a corner booth where it was out of the way of other patrons but with a great view of the dance floor, Bella Donna sipped her drink and marveled at the wild spirit Anna reined inside.

Usually, Bella Donna was the one doing the dancing and the grinding. But tonight, she was content to sit back and enjoy the chaos she unleashed. Her two friends, Kitty and Wanda, were currently in the same state as their friend—drunk as a skunk.

Bella supposed it had something to do with the drinks she ordered, which she assured was lite (though really, it was so strong that one bottle could give Remy a swift kick in the arse). True to her presumption, the three women could not hold their drinks. And that all three were happy drunks.

Now, three bottles later, the three were in the middle of the dance floor, uncaring of everything else.

Oh, won't Remy be proud!

"Belle."

Belle looked up and was surprised to see Remy. She wasn't surprise that he was actually there, after all, she did invite him to join the festivities. What surprised him was the barely concealed anger that radiated in him.

Behind Remy was his strong, silent bodyguard, Piotr something-or-the-other. He was actually Belle's next project before she met Cody Robbins.

"What's wrong, chere?" Bella cooed to him as she attempted to pull him down to her.

Remy, to Belle's further aggravation, resisted and merely narrowed his eyes at her. "Where is she? And her friends?"

Belle forced a smile on her face as she gestured towards the dance floor.

Remy's jaw tightened in what Belle recognized as anger. The last time Belle saw that expression on his face was when Julien reminded Remy that he was a mere street urchin who only thrived because he was adopted by a prominent family in New Orleans, aside from that he was nothing; and certainly did not deserve Bella Donna.

Anna, unaware of the trouble brewing at the table, was currently dancing suggestively against a man. On the other hand, Wanda and Kitty were dirty-dancing against each other, which left many men drooling after them.

Remy turned to Piotr. "Get those two." He motioned towards Wanda and Kitty. Without another word, Remy strode to the floor, with Piotr close behind.

* * *

"Anna."

Anna's face brightened and she stopped dancing when she saw the man who had taken possession of her arm. "Remy!" She laughed as she launched herself at him.

Remy's suspicions were correct. Anna reeked of beer.

"Hey!" The man who was dancing with Anna protested. "She's with me. Get your own partner."

Remy pulled the woman closer to him and glowered threateningly at the man. Though lean, there was no denying the strength and the power behind the physique of the Cajun, which was evident despite the darkness.

Anna's dance partner shrugged. "Whatever, man." He shuffled away. Well, there were more than one fish in the sea anyway.

"Let's go back," Remy told Anna.

"Kei," she slurred as she placed her weight on Remy to help her walk in a straight line. "Beer baaad."

"That's right, chere," Remy whispered soothingly to her ear. "My chere would regret her little drinking spree tomorrow."

"Not your cherry!" She tried to push him away but he was stronger and sober.

Remy chuckled.

* * *

Piotr reddened as he thought furiously as to how to attack the problem.

The two women Remy asked him to fetch from the dance floor were oblivious to everything but each other. He had tried clearing his throat, calling them, and tapping their shoulders for attention, but he was ignored.

He was embarrassed would rather be anywhere but here, but Remy was a good employer and rarely asks for much so when the Cajun asks for him to take the girls, he would take them.

As soon as they stop doing that to each other!

Piotr resisted the urge to close his eyes. Not only were the two women practically indecent with the way they were dressed, their dancing leaves a lot to be desired.

Finally, he went for the direct approach. Grabbing onto the back of the neck of one girl with one hand and the other hand with another, he pried the two apart.

"Hey!" The redhead protested. "Wanna dance!"

"Like, yeah!" Her partner confirmed.

They tried to wiggle away so Piotr tried to find a more stable purchase.

Placing either arm on the girls' waist, Piotr literally carried the two towards Bella Donna's table amidst protests, whines, and threats.

* * *

"Why are you doing this, Remy?" Belle hissed. "Look at her. All willing and pliant and available. I thought I would be doing you a favor."

Remy snorted as he shifted Anna, who seemed to have fallen asleep. "Doing me a favor? Aren't you doing this so that she would do something incredibly stupid and unforgivable that would make Robbins leave her?"

Belle glared. "And you're complaining because?" She demanded. "She barely gives you time of the day when she's sober. And look at her now, ready, willing, and able,"

"If I want easy, Belle, that's what you're here for!" Remy finally snapped.

Belle's eyes widened as she sprung up and slapped Remy soundly. With that, she stalked away.

Remy's shoulders slumped. That wasn't quite how he planned his evening.

"Uh, boss?" Piotr lumbered behind Remy. "What am I supposed to do with these?" He lifted his two packages—two wide awake, screeching, kicking, scratching women.

****

**

* * *

**

**tbc**

* * *

To all those who patiently waited for last chapter, thanks and I hope you enjoyed this make-up chap!

**enchantedlight**, thanks! Here's the update as promised.

**Cathain Nottingham**, I'm feeling a bit better. I'm a little down with a cough, but nothing I can't handle. Anyway, your losing track of this fic may be my fault since I took forever to update. But no fear, next chapter is here (and I rhymed, too)!

**DaughterofDeath**, your wish is my command! =)

**ishandahalf**, ooh! Very sharp with the connection of Robbins Hotels with Cody! Although I had a difficult time of coming up with a first name. I'm still not satisfied with Dakota but I supposed it's better than the other names I came up with. Yikes. Anyway, if you notice, Remy's starting to thaw a little, due to your review. I mean if the Queen of Romyness herself starts to hope that Rogue stays with her boyfriend instead of hooking up with Remy, then there must be something seriously wrong in my story. So I hope you change your view. Remy's starting to do the right thing and Bella Donna, well, she's doing what she does best.

**kk**, a wee bit impatient are we? Well, here it is!

**Star-of-Chaos**, thanks, I am feeling better. And Belle's not so discreet scheme backfired cringes Alright. So I'm not a scheming person. That's the best evil plan I can come up with. Argh!

**dreamschemer**, thanks for the compliment. And maybe like Rogue's so-called friends, I can make her famous too, courtesy of paparazzi! Whatchathink?

**Lady Farevay**, thanks for the advice. I felt a lot better after reading your review. But I came out with this chap nevertheless because I have nothing else to do. My mom and dad are babying me as of the moment, catering to my every needs. Mwahahaha! =) I'm gonna miss this when I go back to school. sighs

**charice**, as you wish!

AND

to **curlygurly**, YOU RAWK!

If there's anyone I missed, I'm so sorry, but I tried answering all reviews to the best of my abilities.

'Til next time! Mwah!


	7. This Love

Disclaimer: The only compensation I am making from this fic is the warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart whenever I open my email and see that someone took the time off to review it. Obviously, none of the characters are mine. It's Marvel's. And Warner Brothers'. I think.

A/N: There are not enough excuses in the world to explain why I've been gone. Just know that I'm terribly, terribly sorry. I have a two-week vacation coming up in two week's time, I could probably make it up to you by then.

I'm anticipating that I might take a long time (again) before I could update. But you can check my blog for teasers and announcements at triple w dot xanga dot com slash khayee

Since I believe that you've forgotten all about this story, here's the summary, then.

_Cody and Anna (aka Rogue) is a couple which actor Remy LeBeau wants to break up because he's fascinated by the fact that Anna's not interested. However, all his efforts are rendered ineffective as Anna deflects his 'smooth' moves one after the other. Until Cody called Anna, confessing a yet undisclosed act which broke Anna's heart. Upon hearing this, Bella Donna, Remy's co-star, decided to act and get Anna and her friends really, really drunk. Remy found out and went to the bar where he and Bella Donna had an altercation. He and his bodyguard Piotr decided to take the ladies home for the night to keep them from doing things they'd regret in the morning. That's where our story starts for today, kiddies…_

__

* * *

**The Immunity Challenge**

**Chapter 7**

**This Love**

* * *

"Watch your step, _chere_." 

"Not your cherry!"

Remy bit back a sigh when the statement was repeated for the thousandth time that night. "Of course not, _che_—er—Anna."

Half-supporting, half-dragging the drunk girl towards his condo unit, Remy cursed when he noticed a paparazzi having a field day snapping pictures. No doubt that he would once again be decorating the front pages of a tabloid magazine.

"You alright there, _mon ami_?" Remy asked the bodyguard who were a few steps behind him.

"_Da_." He replied. Both women in either arm had fallen asleep in drunkenness and exhaustion.

"_Merde_." Remy almost fell on his face when his companion suddenly stopped. "What's the matter?" He asked in concern.

A thoughtful frown crossed Anna's face as she squinted and peered closely at Remy. "Who are you again?"

"It's your Prince Charming, _petite_," he grinned as he released Anna for a second. He then took her hand, bowed gracefully, and kissed her hand. "Remy LeBeau."

Anna giggled.

Remy's pride swelled. Finally, he was getting a response he wanted, even if she was drunk. He quickly relinquished his hold on Anna when she tilted dangerously.

"Remy's not a prince." Anna declared between giggles. "Remy's a girl's name. So you must be a princess!"

"Remy's pretty sure he's a hundred percent male, _petite_."

"No!" Anna pouted prettily. "Remy's a girl."

"He is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is—" Remy paused to take a breath. "_Chere,_ if you don't want Remy to prove how much of a_ homme_ he is, I suggest you stop that right now."

"No! Want proof right now." Anna stomped her feet.

Remy smirked. Well, the _fille _did ask for it…

As he was leaning towards the expectant (and unbelievably drunk) Anna, Anna suddenly pushed him away. Remy frowned as he took in her whitened face.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," was the only warning he got from her.

* * *

Why he even considered himself as a ladies' man was beyond him. It turned out that he knows nothing—nothing!—about ladies. Apparently knowing Belle for two years and dating the fairer sex for half of his life never prepared him in dealing with a woman in the everyday, ordinary way. 

Either that or the ladies with him were not your average women.

For one thing, the raven-haired (with streaks of red in it) one up kept following him around and touching him from the moment she regained consciousness, hangover notwithstanding.

The other one, the perky _petite_, kept snapping pictures around his house and squealing that she was in a celebrity's house and that she can't wait to upload it in her blog (whatever that is).

"_Petite,_" Remy LeBeau sighed in exasperation. "Careful on handling the vase. Belle's gonna throw a fit if that breaks."

Which was apparently the wrong thing to say because the girl's brown eyes grew wide. "You mean Bella Donna lives here, too?" She let out a high-pitched, inhuman squeal and continued snapping pictures with twice the vigor.

"So, uh, Mr. LeBeau," the one called Wanda started. "Can I call you Remy?" Taking his silence as a yes, she pressed on. "What does a star like you have for breakfast? Oh, wait, no, don't answer that." She giggled. "Can I ransack the kitchen and guess? That way I can prepare breakfast for us, too."

Glad for any excuse to escape her company, Remy waved her away. Wanda practically skipped to the kitchen.

Remy gazed longingly at the door to his bedroom. There was only one woman whose company he wanted, but right now, she was still out to the world.

"She really can't hold her liquor." For once since she woke up, the perky Kitty was quiet.

Remy saw that she had followed his line of vision towards the room there the Rogue was sleeping in. She must have felt his longing for the spitfire's company. "And you and her?" He motioned towards the kitchen where Wanda was making some rather questionable cooking noises.

She grinned sheepishly. "Being here with a celebrity is waay more important than nursing a hangover." Her grin got wider as she raised her camera once more. "This," she said gesturing to Remy's place. "Is a once in a lifetime kind of opportunity."

* * *

Her mother often told her she was evil incarnate when she was seventeen. 

And she looked the part too.

Ivory skin horribly complimented with dark make-up, shady clothes that seem to conceal and reveal the flesh it hugged at the same time, enchanting, piercing green eyes, and a dark, depressing attitude to match. In a final act of rebellion, in a total act of defiance to the mother whom she thought betrayed her trust, she dyed her bangs white—blindingly shocking white which contrasted heavily with her brunette locks which she ironed everyday to cast out the curl away (because she was told that the curls were cute).

But that was then. Soon, she found peace within herself and with the woman whom she rebelled at. She found herself.

She soon outgrew the dark image she cocooned herself in.

She grew up.

She began to emulate the woman whom she used to hate.

She was soon fitting in the crowd again.

The dark clothes evolved into business suits and light-colored sundresses. The make-up lessened and lightened. The white streaks faded away or were cut out as her hair grew longer.

Therefore the only explanation for the image looking back at her from the vanity was that time had somehow turned back and she was in the past again. Or maybe, she was still asleep and this is just a silly dream.

Either that or she got really, really drunk the night before and did a lot of really, really stupid things.

Basing from the cottony texture in her mouth and the orchestra of anvils playing in her head, the latter option was more viable.

Anna groaned as she decided that sitting up is sooo not worth the effort and burrowed back into the comfortable bed very, very slowly as not to aggravate further the pain she was in. She squeezed her eyes closed, as if in doing so would make the pain go away.

Wait. Back up.

She was in a bed.

Which was not hers.

She was wrapped (or is it trapped) in blankets.

Which was also not hers.

A tangy masculine scent (mmm…yummy) surrounded her, enveloped her.

A masculine scent, which she soon realized, was not Cody's.

Oh, no! Cody was going to kill her!

Wait.

Cody.

Cody…

Breaking away from that train of thought, Anna focused instead on figuring out where she was.

She sniffed. Nope. Not Pietro's. Not Kurt's, nor Lance's, nor Todd's. It was not even her father's.

The scent was familiar yet strange. It was a scent that she wouldn't mind on her man, for it was neither overpowering nor revolting.

She knew that none of her friends wore that scent, but she also knows that she associates it with sensuality. Masculinity. Pure pleasure. Lust.

Where have she smelled it before?

"Allo, cherie,"

Her eyes widened even as the torturous orchestra in her brain protested.

Forget about Cody killing her! Her daddy was going to kill him!

_

* * *

_

Anna gratefully accepted the steaming cup of coffee Remy handed her. She curled up pitifully on the couch in the living room.

"How's the head, chere?" Remy asked as he folded his wiry frame beside the Rogue, grateful that the two of them were alone at last. Wanda was in the bathroom while Kitty and Piotr were on an errand.

Anna's eyes widened. "Are you smirking at me?" She asked indignantly. "Well, I'll have you know that the effect is lost on me 'cause you're all blurry," she immediately regretted her tirade as the pain in her head, which had abated considerably after downing painkillers, acted up in remonstration.

"Blurry?"

True enough, she didn't see Remy's worried face as he peered at her. "Is something wrong? Are you still tipsy?"

Anna shook her head. "No. Bella Donna took away my glasses last night. Hence, everything's just one big blur,"

"We checked everywhere!" Kitty groaned as she entered the living room. "We're trapped here for the time-being. There are reporters everywhere!"

Remy looked up questioningly at Piotr, who had accompanied Kitty to check whether the three women could find a safe and unpopulated exit to escape the bloodhounds sniffing out the latest scandal on LeBeau.

Piotr merely nodded at the petite's assessment of the situation.

"We call X23?" Remy asked.

"Da." Piotr nodded. "We call X23."

Anna raised an eyebrow. "X23?"

"Oui. She's this stuntwoman on the show." He grinned. "Pretty much lives on adrenaline. On situations like this one, she smuggles herself in here and tricks those bloodsuckers into thinking that it's me. She leads them on a wild goose chase."

Piotr nodded his assent, not adding that had it just been Remy, the lean man would've been able to give those media people the slip. He was stealthy as a thief. But sneaking out three women out of his condo was way too risky.

Kitty giggled. "Oh, this I gotta see."

_

* * *

_

"Where were you last night? And this morning?" A harried Cody asked her, his worry traveling though the telephone line. "I was worried sick when I couldn't find you and you wouldn't answer my calls."

"Sorry, Cody, but I couldn't deal with you yet," Anna whispered as she shut her office door.

Leaving Remy's place was like leaving her refuge, a feeling which caught her by surprise. Since when did she associate Remy LeBeau with relaxation and escape?

Oh, yeah. Since he saved her big time from doing something incredibly stupid last night.

After a long moment of silence, Anna heard Cody sigh.

"And right now?" He pressed.

Anna closed her eyes as she leaned against the closed door. "Not right now, Cody. I missed work this morning. I have a lot of catching up to do."

"It's OK, Anna," he murmured to her. "Take all the time you need."

"Thank you,"

"I love you,"

"Love you, too." She answered after a moment's hesitation.

After they hung up, Anna sagged boneless to the floor. She never felt more tired in her whole entire life.

_

* * *

_

Remy grinned as he finished off his drink when he saw none other than Anna Darkholme walk up to him. His good deed for last night really paid off. He knew that he and Anna are fast moving into the territory of friendship. "Cherie!" He called out.

To his surprise, Anna didn't smile. She simply took his arm and pulled him to his feet. "We gotta get outta here."

So, they were moving faster than he thought. They were bypassing the 'friendship' part and going straight to 'sleeping with each other' part. "So, your place or mine, cher?"

"I think I'll smuggle you to Pietro's place," Anna grimaced.

"More privacy, henh?"

Anna looked at him like he just lost his mind. "We're going to Pietro's place 'cause that's the last place where my daddy will look for you,"

"Your daddy?"

"Yeah. Someone showed him the tabloids a while ago with our pictures on it. I've been warned that he went on a rampage, swearing vengeance on the man who sullied the virtue of his baby." Anna told him gravely. "He's going to kill you now."

_

* * *

_

**tbc**

_

* * *

_

To my reviewers, who hopefully, have not yet forgotten about me… THANKS!

**EmeraldKatsEye**, I don't understand…How can anyone hate the salty goodness that is Remy? ;) anyway, since I've been sooo long away from this fic, I honestly don't know the answer to the question whether or not Remy knows that Logan's Rogue's dad. But I would have to answer it for my next chapter, right? So, stay tuned!

**Sweety8587**, glad that you're delighted by my fic. More Bella Donna in the future chapters. ) And hopefully, I would get my sense of humor back (which escaped when my professors decided to torture us with exams and graded recitations).

**Krac**, and you just have to say that I'm updating again! lowers head in shame and guilt I'm so sorry. But I won't be regular until I am let out of the prison they call 'school.' Hey. Do you have plans on updating your blog? I subscribed to yours and looking forward to updates!

**willa. j**, thank you. I liked that part too. I was like, can the big guy carry the two? And then I said, what the heck. It's fun and it's fiction. I can do whatever I want. )

**melancholic**, yeah, I know. Tenses are my weakness. I'll try and improve 'em somehow. Thanks for the great compliments. And more (mis)fortune would come to Bella Donna, just stay tuned.

**ishandahalf**, glad my fic cracked you up. But I'm still not going to tell you what the secret is between Cody and Rogue. It would be revealed in due time. Unless you wanna bribe me. Yup. I think bribing me would reveal the secret sooner.

**Veronica**, you're my first reviewer that had a nice thing to say about Cody and Rogue's relationship. ) But I guess the Bella Donna hate thing is universal. Anyways, thanks.

**Cathain Nottingham**, you have a xanga? Can we be buddies and stuff?

**evosmylife**, I'm still thinking about the Kitty-Piotr thingy. And I don't know about the Anna-Bella fight. And yes, I also like Anna better over Marie. ) So thanks for the support.

**Leishy**, thank you for reassuring my fears that my attempts at humor would fall flat on its face. And yup! Remy's finally evolving and Rogue's finally thawing.

**dreamschemer**, and now we see the effects of paparazzi and stuff. Unfortunately, it seemed that Remy is the one who would have to deal with it!

**enchantedlight**, don't worry about Petey-baby. He's tough. He'll survive. He'll get over the trauma…eventually. ;)

**Lady Farevay**, thanks! I love your review. Sorry this installment took so long. Felt that I've let you down somehow…Hope this chapter makes it up!

And of course to **curlygurly** and **LittlFreak** whose comments in my blog sustains me in moments of draught.


	8. Basketcase

Disclaimer: The only compensation I am making from this fic is the warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart whenever I open my email and see that someone took the time off to review it. Obviously, none of the characters are mine. It's Marvel's. And Warner Brothers'. I think.

**A/N:**

I'm anticipating that I might take a long time (again) before I could update. But you can check my blog for teasers and announcements at triple w dot xanga dot com slash khayee

Since I believe that you've forgotten all about this story, here's the summary, then:

Cody and Anna (aka Rogue) is a couple whom actor Remy LeBeau wants to break up because he's fascinated by the fact that Anna's not interested. However, all his efforts are rendered ineffective as Anna deflects his 'smooth' moves one after the other. Bella's scheme of unleashing Anna's wild side (for Remy!) backfired when Remy saved Anna and her friends from making fools of themselves. A tentative friendship begun between the two. Logan, fearing for his daughter's virtue, had threatened Remy with emasculation.

* * *

**The Immunity Challenge **

**Chapter 8**

**Basketcase**

* * *

Remy LeBeau may be a lot of things, but he wasn't jealous.

Nope. Not Remy Le Beau.

He looked hot, and he knew it. Women turn to goo at his feet, and he knew it. He was very talented, and he knew it. He had the attitude, and he knew it. He was loaded, and he knew it.

Nope. Remy LeBeau was not jealous. After all, he was once described as the man who has everything. He was secure in himself. He was the object of envy, not the other way around.

Remy was sure that the red haze clouding his vision for the moment can rationally and logically explained as anything but jealousy.

He watched as Anna made a face when Pietro said something too softly for Remy to hear. Pietro placed a familiar hand on Anna's arm to make his point.

"So anything goin' on between the two of you?" Remy asked in studied casualness.

From across the Maximoff dining table, both Anna and Pietro froze.

"Of course not!" Anna immediately denied.

"We're just friends," Pietro claimed at the same time.

Anna nodded, blushing furiously. "There's nothing going on between the two of us," her fork twirling precariously in the air in emphasis.

"Right." Remy nodded dubiously, crossing his arms, frowning at the duo as if he caught them doing something bad. Once more, he made use of the intimidation tactics he learned in his TV show. "If you say so,"

"Anna's not my type." Pietro said. "No offense, Ahn,"

"None taken."

"I mean, she's pretty and all, but definitely not my type."

"If you say so, _mon ami_,"

"He's my guy best friend," Anna continued. "Purely platonic."

Remy merely smirked at her, finding her blush charming. "_Mais oui_," he murmured.

"We're like Will and Grace," she continued.

"Hey!" Pietro protested.

"Only, without the gayness," Anna added weakly. She frowned. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. Gayness I mean. It's a valid lifestyle choice."

"I believe you, _chere_," Remy mercifully interrupted her nervous babble.

A moment of fragile silence descended upon the three.

"Fine!" Anna finally blurted out. "I admit it."

"It was a one-time thing." Pietro hurriedly added. "In college. You know, the time when you experiment and stuff."

"And it was before I met Cody."

"And it was just one lousy kiss!" Pietro added.

"Hey!" Anna protested.

"I don't mean that the kiss was lousy," Pietro hurriedly amended. "In fact, the kiss was great."

Remy frowned. Not jealous, remember?

"It's the number that was lousy." Pietro continued. "I mean one! Can anything be lousier than thenumber one?"

Anna nodded. "Right."

"And what did your overprotective father say?" Remy asked.

"Nothing!" Anna exclaimed.

"He doesn't know a thing," Pietro affirmed. "Or else, I'll be dead,"

"Is he really that bad?" Remy frowned when he remembered the reason why he was in Maximoff's kitchen. "And are all these really necessary, _cher_?" He motioned with his arms, to emphasize the situation they were in.

"If you value your life, you stay away from Logan until his temper wears off," Pietro advised. "What he's capable of is not something I would wish to my worst enemy."

"He kinda goes over the top with his protectiveness," Anna grumbled.

Pietro nodded. "I mean, Scott Summers was never able to set foot inside _Wolverine's _ever again after that incident."

Remy frowned. _Wolverine's? Scott Summers?_

Reading the question on Remy's face, Anna sighed. "Scott and I had this huge thing in high school."

Remy raised a brow. "You disappoint me, _cher_. Would've thought you've got more taste than that."

"That's what I told her!" Pietro added.

The two men basked in a moment of male solidarity.

"I was young! And stupid! And I didn't know any better." Anna crossed her arms defiantly.

"If you say so, _chere_,"

"Do you want the story or not?"

Remy gestured for her to continue.

"Anyway, Scott and I had a falling out,"

"Wouldn't call it a falling out, Ahn," Pietro interjected. "You poked the poor man's eye out." He crossed his arms. "Not that he didn't deserve it."

Remy's eyes widened momentarily. So his _petite_ _ange_ has some sharp claws, after all. But why should he be surprised? Didn't he meet the sexy and alluring Rogue on the dance floor a few nights prior? Even if said Rogue was dead drunk.

"It was in self-defense." Anna huffed.

"What did the bastard do?" Remy couldn't help but growl.

"Nothing!" Anna sighed.

"Nothing!" Pietro spluttered. "He—"

"Shut up, Maximoff!" Anna snapped.

"Sorry," he muttered, leaning back on his chair, not sounding sorry at all.

Remy made a mental note to ask Maximoff what the Summers deal was all about. "Anyway, about _Wolverine's_?"

"Oh, yeah. Scott made the unfortunate mistake of stepping into _Wolverine's_," Anna continued. "This was years after we all graduated from high school."

Pietro smirked. "I can still vividly remember that day. Summers walked in, her dad walked up, flashed his knives a lot, made good use of his fist, and threw Summers out."

Anna shuddered. "Scott had to be sent to the emergency room for some stitches. Good thing he didn't press any charges,"

Remy had the mental image of a distinguished man in a suit roughing up Summers. His imagination failed him.

"Of course, if he did press charges, Logan would've done a lot worse than he did,"

Remy frowned at the mention of the owner of _Wolverine's_. He remembered the first time he saw Anna, talking to the much older man. "What, Logan's your _pere_'s best friend or something?"

Pietro looked at Remy LeBeau like the Cajun just admitted that he was actually an alien from outerspace. "No, try to keep up with the discussion. Logan is her father."

* * *

"I've gone over the contract and it seemed fine," Anna stated as she extended both of her legs outwards when she felt the first twinge, signaling that her legs were beginning to fall asleep. 

The only answer she got was a grunt and the sounds of metal banging against metal.

With her back to the wall, her butt to the floor, she mindlessly twirled her hair with her fingers as she listened to the sounds she was familiar with since her teens.

"So, anyway, I guess all systems are a go for the Wolverine branch in New York. All that's left to do is to meet with Mr. Worthington and sign the papers." Anna continued.

"Darlin,'" Logan grunted from under the car he was working on. He grabbed the sides of the car and slid himself out, figuring that in order for his glare to affect his daughter, she had to actually see it. "I've been ready to sign that thing weeks before until you stopped me."

If the glare had any effect on the girl, Logan didn't see it.

"It is better safe than sorry, you know," Anna replied with an airy wave of her hand.

"Sometimes, you remind me too much of your mother," Logan grumbled before standing up and wiping his hands on a rug he swiped off the floor.

Anna gave a very Raven-like smirk. "And you say that like it's such a bad thing,"

"Kid, you're starting to scare me,"

Anna laughed as she stood up from her very undignified slump on the floor. "Mom'll be horrified if she knew I spent my teens slumped in a corner of your garage watching you fix stuff."

Logan gave her a look. "Heaven help me if you turn out to be your mother,"

"You done here?" Anna asked.

"Yeah," Logan replied. "Care for a cup of coffee?"

"Sure." Anna agreed. She link her arms with that of Logan's as the duo walked into the kitchen.

"We need to talk," he said. At her daughter's pained look, he continued. "About LeBeau,"

"Dad, there's nothing to talk about." Anna said. "We're friends and since he's famous, the press just ran away with the story."

"And the pictures?"

Anna felt her face heat up. She mumbled an incoherent answer that Logan didn't even attempt to decode.

"What was that, darlin'?" Logan asked as he started to took two mugs from the cupboards and poured coffee for the two of them.

Anna glared at him. "I got a little tipsy," she mumbled. "Alright! I was drunk!" She finally admitted at her father's disbelieving glare.

"Anna," he started.

"Dad! You do remember that I'm twenty one now, right? All legal and everything?" Anna interjected.

Logan sighed. He should've known better than to try and talk with his daughter. He should've gone straight to the Cajun and simply skinned him alive now and ask questions later.

"I can drink if I want to and stuff," Anna continued.

"Drink this," Logan grunted as he dumped the mug on the kitchen table in front of Anna.

"Thanks."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

Anna sighed. "It's Cody." She finally admitted. "He did something and I didn't like it." Finally, in her father's kitchen, the place of her refuge as a teen, she can unload. She stopped pretending to be strong, stopped pretending to be mature and calm. She can finally be what she actually felt—a woman who was hurt by the man she loved.

Logan suppressed the red cloud of fury that threatened to overwhelm his vision. Some _boy_ had hurt his little girl.

"And LeBeau?"

"He helped me out. He kept me from doing crazy stuff,"

Logan raised a brow and looked pointedly at the lock of white bangs that decorated his daughter's hair.

Anna sighed as she twirled the offending lock of hair around her fingers, similar to the way she twirled her father's heart. "I didn't say he was a hundred percent successful," she gave a wry grin.

"Me and Robbins are going to have a little talk," Logan muttered.

"It's fine, dad," Anna said quickly. "I'm better now. I guess I just needed to act it out before it burst out of me." Anna looked at her father sadly. "I'm sorry, daddy,"

Anna may be twenty-one years old, but Logan would always see her as his little princess. And right now, his princess was hurting. He quietly gathered her in his arms.

The instinct to kill the boy Cody was very strong. But right now, Anna needed her father.

* * *

"You and me, we're gonna have a little talk," a heavy hand settled itself at his shoulders. 

Remy LeBeau stifled a wince. He should have known that Logan would corner him the moment he stepped in _Wolverine's_. But he was no coward. A LeBeau never ran from no fights. They faced it like a man.

From behind LeBeau, Piotr gave a start, intending to protect his boss. However, a man with grayish hair and an intimidating eye patch blocked the giant's path. Behind the guy with the eye patch were three of _Wolverine's _bouncers.

Remy shook his head, signaling to Piotr that he'd be fine.

Logan pushed Remy to sit down at one of the dark corners of the bar.

"What's the matter, _mon ami_?" Remy asked calmly, despite the slightly hysterical voice in his brain telling him that he should've heeded Anna's warnings. He shouldn't have gone into _Wolverine's_ until the whole issue about him and Anna had died down. Remy frowned. The voice in his head sounds eerily like Maximoff's.

Logan stared at him for a long moment. "I owe you one, bub."

Remy's eyebrows raised in surprise. "What?"

"I owe you." Logan sighed, as if such admission pained him. "You took care of my daughter. I'm in your debt."

Remy wanted to laugh in relief. Fortunately, he was a consummate actor and a great poker player. He merely smiled coolly. "It was my pleasure," he said. "Anna and I, we're," Remy frowned as he searched for an appropriate term. "Friends," he finally said. And to his surprise, he found himself meaning it. And he meant what he said too. Taking care of Anna was indeed his pleasure.

"Thank you," Logan said gruffly as he extended a hand to the Cajun.

Remy took the proffered hand, hoping in hell that the older man wouldn't notice that it was shaking with delayed fright.

* * *

"Oh, you have to be kidding me!" A soft, scandalized voice groaned. 

"We kid you not," was the reply before girlish giggles broke out.

Anna squirmed uncomfortably and uttered a vain hope that this was only a bad dream that she would wake up from anytime soon. "I'm going to kill that Cajun."

"But it's kinda sweet." Kitty argued as she grabbed the remote control to turn the volume up.

"Yeah, in a sick, sad, twisted way," Wanda added, her eyes glued to the screen.

Upon seeing a TV ad that _Gambit_ was to introduce a new character on the show, Wanda and Kitty had conspired to do everything in their powers to make Anna actually sit down long enough to watch the show. And they had to admit, all the scheming and planning and scheduling they did for days paid out in the end. It was all worth it to see the expression on their friend's face.

_"Look out, Roguey!"_ The cocky Cajun thief wearing the face of Remy LeBeau shouted onscreen.

Anna groaned again and squeezed her eyes shut as the heroic Gambit saved a woman on the show—a woman who had green eyes, pale skin, pouty red lips, and the most distinctive auburn hair with white stripes.

"Ah can take care of myself, Swamp Rat!" 

Ah, yes, and a very feminine southern accent to boot.

Kitty giggled. "Maybe you could get royalties or something,"

"The whole of Bayville is going to have a field day with this one," Wanda snorted. "Hey!" She protested when she was hit by a pillow on her face. "Just stating the obvious."

"Please tell me Pietro and the guys don't watch this crap," Anna pleaded. But with Wanda's smirk, she knew that as of right now, the guys were laughing their asses off on her expense in front of the TV.

"It's kinda flattering, if you think about it." Kitty tried to sooth her.

"And I think he's channeling all his sexual frustrations on Anna to the Rogue character," Wanda commented as onscreen Gambit leaned over to give Rogue a kiss.

However, the moment Gambit's lips touched Rogue's, he lost consciousness. Then, the closing credits started to roll.

"Or maybe not," Kitty giggled. "There gotta be some twist around there somewhere."

Anna's phone began to ring.

"It's Pietro," no doubt ringing to rib her about the new _Gambit _character who, coincidentally, is rather similar to herself. Seeing the caller-ID, the Southerner groaned before throwing her phone far and away.

_

* * *

_

**tbc**

_

* * *

_

Thanks for reading!

**Melancholic**, it's a sad day when you find out that people are actually surprised that you're updating. It means that I'm slacking off as an author. But it can't be helped. The plotbunnies are starting to die out one by one. It's taking all of my time trying to revive them. Thanks for the comments. It made me feel real good.

**Enchantedlight**, I'm sooo sorry I wasn't able to update soon. Real life's a pain, if you know what I mean.

**Ishandahalf**, this is me grinning sheepishly. I'm sorry that after heaping praise on my story, I suddenly disappeared in the pit of nothingness. My bad. BTW, I read your stories. Great job! Two thumbs up!

**EmeraldKatsEye**, the Remy-Logan moment is dedicated to you. Thanks for reminding me that Remy doesn't know who Anna's father is yet.

**Rogue4787**, it was revealed in the early chaps that Logan is Anna's father. Only, Remy doesn't know it yet. And no, Cody's dirty deed is yet to be revealed.

**Star-of-Chaos**, nice to know that someone's back from the abyss! Me, I'm trying to claw my way out, but it's waaay hard. Sometimes, I think it's better for me to just lie down and enjoy the view.

**Xbecbebex**, thanks a bunch from the bottom of my heart! I hope you're not turned off from this story because of the uber late updates.

**Carla-p**, as always, it's such a kick to read/hear/receive multiple reviews from you! I always, always enjoy it. Thank you. You are such a pick-me-upper.

**Xpoisonedxangelx**, oh, thank you! It's always nice to know that someone's appreciating my attempts to come out with longish chapters. Unfortunately, it's because of those attempts that I often update really, really late.

**Leishy**, sometimes it takes me tooo long to sign in also. But I always thought there was something wrong with my browser…anywho, I've heard of the movie paparazzi, but I haven't watched it yet. Is it good?

**Allie**, thanks for the compliments, but I'm afraid my bunnies are sort of on rehab so it'll take a while for everything can go back to normal. Expect sporadic updates at best.

**SickmindedSucker**, if you feel like a bad reviewer, I feel like a lousy author. My heart cringes everytime someone tells me to update soon. My last update of this fic was last year. Sigh.

**Goldilox8265**, thanks for taking the time off to review.

**TyBass31**, thank you. I'm glad that someone enjoyed reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it.

**AnimeSiren**, updates might be sporadic, but rest assured that I intend to see this fic to the very end!

**Wildcardrose**, thanks. I'm flattered. It's not everyday I'm called brilliant. I revel in your review!

**Friend to All**, thank you. So sorry that it took soooo long before I updated. Unfortunately, I cannot promise not to do that again.

**Dee Saylors**, There's no Kurty-goodness on this one, but I'll try and squeeze him in next time. Squeezes Kurt. He's sooo cute!

**Maximite**, thanks for kicking my ass into gear. You're right. My last update was so last year.

That's it! Sorry if I missed anyone.

Love you all!

khay


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